Skincare - My Top 10 under £10

Hey guys!

So I know a lot of you want to take care of your skin but we're all on a budget, so I've found 10

of my favourite skincare products under £10 to help you out!

Enjoy.

No7 Beautiful Skin Hot Cloth Cleanser £9.95

This is probably my holy grail cleanser. It takes off every single speck on my make-up

(I don't wear loads) and leaves my skin feeling amazing after. I typically use this with my Clarisonic

at night then just with a muslin cloth in the morning. Works beautifully with them both. I love it so

much, I've stocked up on it to last me quite a few months!

Cetaphil Moisturising Lotion £8.99

This is one of my favourite facial moisturisers. It's especially for sensitive or dry skin which is perfect for me.

It gets rid of my dry patches without feeling heavy on my skin and clogging my pores. It's so

lightweight and very moisturising. Perfect if you want a simple, gentle moisturiser and have dry

or sensitive skin.

Garnier Pure Active Purifying Toner £4.99

I don't tend to use toner too often as it really dries out my skin, but if I have a lot of blemishes

then this is the toner that will dry those suckers out overnight! If you have oily/spot prone skin,

this is for you!

Lush Tea Tree Toner Water 100g £3.95

Another toner I love is this one by Lush. It's great at drying out pesky blemishes but as I said before,

toner's usually dry out my skin so I only tend to use them when I've got a lot of breakouts. Tea tree

water works so well at fighting spots and I can easily wear this under make-up. I really love Lush because

they use hardly any ingredients. The less, the better!

Superfacialist by Una Brennan Tea Flower Pore Purifying Clay Mask £8.99

I haven't been using this face mask for long, but I'm already really liking it. It's great at purifying the skin

and is a great little refreshing mask. What I really love, is that is that after using it my skin doesn't feel

really dry. A lot of masks I've tried like this have really dried my skin out horribly and it's hard to

maintain clear and hydrated skin. This leaves my skin actually quite soft and I don't feel like I

have to go and immediately slather  my face in moisturiser.

Lush Mask of Magnaminty 125g £5.25

This is my most favourite face mask. Whenever I feel a breakout coming on or I'm in the middle of it,

I will use this 1-2 times a week. It really calms down my skin and you can literally feel it working.

You can even use it on your body as well as your face.

Queen Helene Mint Julep Masque £2.35

This is literally a bargain! It's stupidly inexpensive and comes in a massive tube which lasts you ages.

I bought mine last year and still have tons left. It smells so minty and fresh and leaves my skin

ridiculously soft. It helps dry up blemishes, get rid of blackheads and tighten your pores.

For this much product at this price, you can't say no.

Lush Ocean Salt 120g £7.25

I featured this scrub from Lush in my most recent favourites post. When my skin looks dull and needs

a bit of refreshing I'll use this scrub. For a scrub it's really not hard on my skin and all scrubs I've

used in the past leave my skin feeling tight and very dry, but this scrub makes me skin surprisingly

very soft. I can't stop touching my face afterwards. It's leaves my skin looking refreshed and brighter.

Best used in the shower as it gets quite messy!

Clean & Clear Advantage Spot Treatment Gel £4.59

If you've read my recent posts, you'll know this is my go to spot gel . I do love my origins

super spot remover but this one is about a third of the price and does just as good of a job. I usually

stock up on it when Boots or Superdrug do a third off on Clean & Clear products every so often.

(Boots are doing one now so hurry and get it whilst it's only £3.06!)

Biore Ultra Deep Cleansing Pore Strips (Nose Strips) £7.99
Every girl loves a good pamper and it's never complete without using nose strips. I've used these
ones for years and love them so much. They're inexpensive and do the job perfectly. Definitely
something I like to keep in my drawer whenever I feel like having a pamper!

Photography by Sam Clare Photography

Thanks for reading!

Sophie x

March Favourites

Hey guys!
Can you believe it's April already?! Crazy. But I am excited because it's my birthday on the 17th!

So anyway, I missed February favourites (my bad) as I didn't really have anything that I was really
loving that much. I have been shopping recently though and found some new products that
I'm absolutely loving!

Enjoy :)

Cetaphil Moisturising Lotion

I love this moisturiser and have done for years. I have dry skin and it can sometimes be sensitive to certain

products. I do love trying out different facial moisturisers but I feel like nothing will compare to this for me.

It sinks into the skin so nicely and doesn't feel as if you've put anything on.

Clean & Clear Advantage Spot Treatment Gel

This was in my favourites of 2013 and it was for a reason. It's my go to spot treatment gel as it's so

inexpensive and so effective.

Revlon ColorBurst Lacquer Balm in Provocateur

Out of all the ColorBurst Balm's I've bought, I've warmed to this one the most. It compliments my skin very

nicely and is so easy to wear. If I don't want it too full on I'll usually just put a bit on a rub it into my lips,

which also helps it last longer.

Soap & Glory Sugar Crush Body Wash

This stuff smells so good! I'm addicted. This will now be the only body wash I use. Go to Boots and

smell it and you'll see why.

Maybelline Brow Drama Sculpting Mascara in Medium Brown

If you like a good thick brow, go get this. It really makes me eyebrows look thicker and fuller and

keeps them in place all day long. I don't know how it does with water yet, but hopefully it doesn't react

badly with it because with this, some BB cream and a lip balm you've got the perfect beach day make-up.

Lush Ocean Salt Facial Scrub

I never use to really use facial scrubs because I have my Clarisonic but I feel like I need one. I wanted

something with natural ingredients and the avocado in this leaves my skin feeling so soft.

Real Techniques Miracle Complexion Sponge
So if you read my blog, you'll know that this is a recent purchase and I already love it to pieces!
I do love the Cosmopolitan sponge still but this one from Real Techniques is just amazing. Applies
my foundation beautifully and is so easy to use. This sponge + liquid foundation = FLAWLESS. Just
remember that you need the sponge damp before you apply to get the perfect application.

Photography by Sam Clare Photography

Thanks for reading!

Sophie x

My Top 10 Skincare Tips

Cleanse. The first and most important thing to do is cleanse; whether you wear make-up or not. Throughout the day dirt and oil will build up on your face and if you don't wash it off it can lead to blemishes, premature ageing and your skin looking dehydrated and dull. The best way I was taught to wash my face was to firstly, splash your face with warm water to open up your pores. Then, wash your face as normal with face wash. Finally, rinse your face with cold water to close your pores and dry with a clean towel. Remember to cleanse in the morning as well as at night because dirty and oil can build up on your face at night as well.

Double Cleanse. If you are someone who wears a lot of make-up, then it's always best to double cleanse. Even if you don't wear loads sometimes just cleansing once won't get every speck of make-up and dirt off your face.
I've invested in a Clarisonic and it literally gives your skin a deep cleanse so your face is make-up and dirt free!

Clean everything. Everything you put on your face needs to be clean. Most importantly your make-up brushes. You need to clean them regularly as bacteria and dirt can build up in them. If you use your hands to apply some make-up then they need to be clean as well. Keep a hand sanitiser with your make-up so you remember to apply it before you apply anything to your face with your fingers. Other things that need to be clean includes your pillow and face towel. Bacteria can build up in both these places and it makes such a difference when you clean all these things regularly. It seems like such a simple thing but a lot of people do forget. 

Water. There is literally no excuse for not drinking enough water. It's one of the best things for your skin and it makes such a difference. What you put into your body will affect your skin. Drinking water is something that isn't expensive or difficult to do and it does great things for your skin. Try to drink 6-8 glasses a day.

Exfoliate. As we get older, our skin's natural ability to generate and shed skin cells slows down. So if we don't exfoliate regularly to shed the skin cells then it can leave your skin looking dull, rough and dry. Also the build up of dead skin cells can lead to clogged pores and blemishes.

SPF. Wearing sun protection is so very important, even when it's not sunny at all (that's most of the time in England). Just because you can't see the sun, doesn't mean it isn't there. Too much sun on the skin can cause premature ageing and sun spots . Most foundations will contain an SPF now, but if not then put on a moisturiser underneath your foundation that does contain an SPF in it, and remember to drag it down to your neck and chest if they're going to be on show too.

Face masks. One of my favourite things to do is a face mask. Sometimes when you're stressed and you've got breakouts and your skin looks tired, a face mask is so helpful. It will all depend on your skin type and what your skin needs as to which face mask you should use. My two favourites include Lush's 'Mask of Magnaminty', which I turn to when I have breakouts, and Origins 'Drink Up Intensive Overnight Mask' is good for when my skin is feeling dry and dehydrated.

Sleep. Sleep is so important for our skin. It's important because, cortisol, the stress hormone, ages our skin and can cause acne. Sleeping reduces the cortisol level in your body. So the more sleep we get, the younger and clearer out skin looks! Always try to get at least 7-8 hours a night.

Don't squeeze spots. Yes, sometimes it's okay for you to squeeze the odd spot, but only if it's ready. Most of the time it's best just to leave it alone and find a good spot treatment for it (I use Clean & Clear Advantage Spot Treatment Gel). If you start fiddling with it and trying to squeeze a spot under the skin or one that isn't ready then it can lead to scarring and redness. So as tempting as it is, leave it alone!

Moisturise. Doesn't matter what type of skin you have, it's important to moisturise. Even if you have oily skin. By not applying moisturiser because you think your skin is already too oily, it'll only make your skin produce more oil. You need a daytime moisturise which should also contain an SPF in it to protect your skin. You will also need a night time moisturiser that is going to treat your skin whilst you sleep, because that's when your skin does most of it's rejuvenation. Remember that you are able to buy moisturiser depending on your skin type.


Thanks for reading!
Sophie X

2013 Beauty Favourites

Hi guys!

 I've been so excited to do this post for so long because there's so many products that I've loved over the

past year and couldn't wait to tell you all about them. There's quite a few products here so I'm gonna try and

keep it short and sweet!

Hair

Aussie Luscious Long Hair Shampoo

Aussie Luscious Long Hair Conditioner
If it isn't obviously already then Aussie is one of my favourite hair care brands out there!
The Luscious Long range is amazing if you have long hair that's difficult to maintain like mine. With Aussie products I can get away with washing my hair every 3 days which I like as you shouldn't wash your hair too often.  With cheaper brands my hair just gets greasy quicker and when you have long hair washing your hair isn't a 5 minute job unfortunately.

Herbal Essences Classics Shampoo Silk n Shine

Herbal Essences Classics Conditioner Silk n Shine
I don't know if I need to explain how great the classic Herbal Essences are. They make your hair smell so amazing and I'm so excited that they have brought them back!

Aussie Take the Heat Leave In Conditioning Cream
I try not to use a lot of heat on my hair if I can help it, but when I do then before blow drying my hair I like to put this cream through the mid lengths and ends of my hair just to protect it. It also smells amazing.

Aussie Miracle Recharge Take the Heat Leave in Treatment
When my hair is dry and I want to use heat on my hair such as a straightener or curling iron then I will use this rather than the cream as it's easier to use on dry hair. I've used quite a few heat protectant over the year and this is the only one that feels like it's actually working. Again, smells amazing.

Aussie 3 Minute Miracle Luscious Long
When my hair is in need conditioning mask then I will always turn to the Aussie 3 minute miracle range. My favourite is the Luscious Long deep treatment as it helps reduce breakage and nourishes the hair. I always focus it on the ends of my hair as that's where it's more damaged. It feels so soft and silky after I use this!

Got2b Happy Hour Hairspray
Out of all the hairspray's I've used of the past year I would say this is my favourite. Overall it's great as it holds the hair in place, it's inexpensive and my most favourite part about it, is that it smells like Pina Colada!

Batiste Dry Shampoo Cherry
Batiste have always been my go to brand for dry shampoo but I'm so fussy on the smell of products. This is the only one I like the smell of. It makes me want to put it on my hair even when I don't need it just because of the smell!

Denman Dressing Out Brush D91
Probably one of the best back combing brushes I've ever used. Especially when it's only £4.29. I also bought my sister and she loves it just as much as I do.

Skincare

No7 Beautiful Skin Hot Cloth Cleanser
I've recently blogged about this and it is quickly becoming my new favourite way of removing my make-up. Not only is it the most quickest and easiest ways but it moisturises my skin so nicely without leaving it feeling greasy and heavy on the skin.

Aveeno Skin Relief Lotion
This is the only moisturiser I will use on my body. I get dry skin so I need something strong that's going to do it's job. This does it's job perfectly and I weirdly love the fact it smells of oats.

Garnier Pure Active Purifying Toner
If I'm breaking out then after cleansing my skin I will put this toner in the problem areas and it will help dry out the spots. It also contains an anti-bacterial ingredient which protects against new spots from producing.

Cetaphil Moisturising Lotion
It's hard to find a suitable moisturiser for your face, especially for me. I am spot prone but have dry skin so I need something that will hydrate my skin but not be so greasy it makes me break out, which is exactly what this product does. It keeps my skin hydrated all day and doesn't feel heavy or greasy on my skin.

Simple Kind To Skin Facial Cleansing Wipes
Now I use my No7 cleanser to remove me make up I don't use these as much but if I'm wearing heavier make-up some days then I prefer to take my make up off with one of these then use my cleanser and I feel I get a deeper clean this way. They don't burn my eyes and they take off all my make-up very easily.

Clarisonic Mia
I purchased this because everyone was raving about them so much and kept saying how much better their skin had got since using it. I believe since using it my skin definitely feels better but I don't use it everyday any more as I felt it was too much on my skin so now I stick to using it about 1-2 times a week. It's nice for the times you want to give your skin a deep clean if your breaking out or your skin is looking a bit dull.

Clean & Clear Advantage Spot Treatment Gel
This is definitely my go to spot treatment! It wont work every single time unfortunately but most of the time it will get the job done!

Lush Mask of Magnaminty
this mask is a recent find. I have wanted it for so long but always forgot to get it. I'm so glad I finally did. If you're spot prone and looking for a nice refreshing mask to give your skin a good clean then this mask is the one. You can literally feel it working.

Make-up

Maybelline Falsies Mascara
After hearing so many great reviews on this mascara, I thought I should go and give in the to hype as it's only £7.99. And I am so glad I did. It gives you everything you want in a mascara. It curls my lashes, gives them volume, length, doesn't dry out quickly and doesn't clump at all.

Benefit They're Real Mascara
This mascara speaks for itself really. The picture advertising it show you how much your lashes can change just from using this. I didn't believe it was that good but after using it, I fell in love with it. The only downside to it is that it's expensive and dry's out very quickly and when your paying almost £20 for a mascara you would hope that it lasted you a while. But other than that it's a great mascara and the Benefit packaging is always so pretty.

Benefit Hoola Bronzing Powder
I never use to be someone who used bronzer much or contoured at all but this year I used some of my friend's Hoola bronzer and it's beautiful! Great for contouring. Just remember to blend, blend, blend! The only downside is that again, it's not cheap but will last you quite a while which balances that out.

Maybelline Baby Lips in Cherry Me
These are my new favourite lip balms! When I'm working I don't like to wear much make-up but do still like to look pretty. This is perfect as not only does it help chapped lips, it has a pinky tint to it which I love. I will say though that if you have really sore or chapped lips you will probably need to use something a bit more stronger.

Urban Decay Naked Basics Palette
I have literally used this palette everyday this year. I got it last Christmas and I couldn't be without it! I use the colour Faint everyday to fill in my eyebrows and sometimes I will use to rest of the colour in the palette on my eye's just to give them more depth. It's so handy to travel with and the colours are so simple yet so amazing. Perfect starter palette.

Urban Decay Naked 3 Palette
I only just got this at Christmas but already I know it's one of my favourites. I don't own the first Naked palette but own Naked 2 and I just prefer the colours in this one. They're so pretty and girly, and it's perfect for everyday use without looking too heavy.

Cosmopolitan Blend Perfection Sponge
I've spoke about this blending sponge before so I'm sure you know my feelings on it. It's the only way I will apply my foundation. It makes my foundation look flawless, even and is only £5. It will also last you quite a while as long as you take care of it and clean it regularly.

Revlon Nail Enamel in Vixen
My most favourite nail polish of all time. Seriously. It's beautiful. Revlon nail polishes are so glossy and I always get compliments when I wear this. It's such a pretty colour. I never use a base coat or top coat (it's really bad of me, I know) but on average it will last about 5 days maximum before it starts chipping.

Revlon Photo Ready Foundation
I've used this foundation for years now. I think I've probably purchased this about 10 or so times. It usually lasts me about 2/3 months when used almost everyday. I have dry skin and will always moisturise before I apply foundation and I apply this with the a damp Cosmo blending sponge and I wouldn't say it gives complete coverage but it's pretty close. It lasts me all day but if I get home and want to go out in the evening I will touch it up, but only in any problem areas.

Collection 2000 Lasting Perfection Concealer
I only purchased this concealer about a month or 2 ago and I'm so happy with it. Shade 2 matches my skin perfectly so will put that over any spots or dark spots and I will use shade 1 under my eyes just to brighten up that area and conceal any dark circles under my eyes. It creases very slightly under my eyes at first, but after I've blended it all in properly it won't crease at all throughout the day.

Rimmel Kate Moss Lipstick Shade 1
My favourite lipstick of this year has to be this red Kate Moss lipstick from Rimmel. It's such a beautiful colour and can just completely change the way you look. When I wear this I prefer to just do the rest of my make-up very simple and clean otherwise it can look a bit too much.

Mac Powder Blush in Melba
Since I purchased this blush from Mac I haven't really used anything else as I'm not really a big blush person. I just like it to be pretty but simple. I think next year I would like to get out my comfort zone though and try out other colours.

Contour Brush from Real Techniques Core Collection
I love to use this contour brush with my Hoola bronzer and it fits perfects in the hollows the my cheeks and it helps me be able to concentrate the colour in certain places so that I don't go out looking like am oompa loompa!

Perfume

Thierry Mugler Alien Eau de Parfum
This is the perfume that when everyone I know smells it, they say it reminds them of me which makes me very happy! I've used it for such a long time and although I love other perfumes, nothing will come close to how I feel about this one. I love strong scents that last ages and this one does exactly that.

Thierry Mugler Angel Eau de Parfum

After finding the Alien perfume from Theirry Mugler, I wanted to see what other perfumes they had and this one I didn't really like at first. I felt the scent didn't suit me but as time went out I just fell in love with the scent. I feel it's very hard to describe scent's so it's probably just best to go and smell it yourself!

Zara Black Eau de Toilette
Zara perfume's are a lot cheaper than I thought they would be and I purchased this when I ran otu of every other perfume I use but didn't have tons of money to repurchase any. I bought this for £7.99 for a 30ml and it's a beautiful scent. It smelt really familiar and every time I wear it, it reminds me of my birthday when I purchased it.

Thanks for reading!

Sophie x

November Favourites

Hi Guys!

Little bit late, but here's my favourites from November..

Zara Two Sided Soft Scarf

I am so obsessed with this scarf right now. It's so cosy and warm and I am in love with the print.

It's so big, so can be turned into a shawl/cape as well. This is definitely my winter staple! It's unfortunately 

sold out now so I got mine from eBay.

Garnier Pure Active Purifying Toner

So, I never really use toner but when I break out I will always use this. It's for skin prone to

spots/oiliness/blackheads. My skin is definitely spot prone but not oily in the slightest.

I will get a bit of an oily t-zone but its very, very rare. I find this works really well when I break out.

It will literally calm my skin down and dry out any spot very quickly. 

Barry M Hi Shine Gel Effect Nail Polish in Lychee

I was never really into nude nail polish's on myself as I prefer deep reds and deep purples.

I kept seeing this one pop up everywhere though and everyone was talking about it.

I thought I might as well try it as it was only £3.99 and I'm so happy I bought it! It's a very pretty and 

legant colour. I've found that mine personally will start to chip after about 4 days

(I don't wear a base or top coat).

Maybelline Baby Lips Lip Balm in Cherry Me

I've heard a lot of mixed reviews about the baby lips but personally I quite like them.

I like this one as it gives my lips a nice pinky tint without looking too full on and also moisturises them.

But if i have really dry lips then I will use something a bit stronger like Carmex/Vaseline.

Cosmopolitan Blend Perfection Sponge

I mentioned this blending sponge in my previous haul. I recently realised how much I actually

really love this. It just applies my foundation so evenly and so flawlessly. What's even better is

that it's only £4.99!

No7 Beautiful Skin Hot Cloth Cleanser

This product was also in my recent haul. I'm getting on with it really, really well. 

It hasn't broke me out at all and my skin feels so clean and moisturised after using it. I really like

using the muslin cloth with it because I feel like it opens up my pores and really cleans my skin properly.

Also, I've noticed since using it I haven't had as many spots as I usually do so that's always good!

I just wish I'd found this sooner

Clean & Clear Advantage Spot Treatment Gel

I had a bit of a bad break out not too long ago, so after cleansing my face I would use the

Garnier toner, then pop this gel onto any really bad areas and when I woke up in the morning it wasn't as red or

noticeable as it was before. The spot won;t vanish over night so don't expect it to but with some of

my really bad spots it was basically gone after about a week of using it morning and night. It's very

affordable and lasts for ages too!

A few of my favourite songs from November..

Katy Perry - Dark Horse

Katy Perry - Unconditionally

Lady Gaga - Do What U Want

Photography by Sam Clare Photography

Thanks for reading!

Sophie x