Dreaming of Spring..

Photos from my Instagram - Sophiemakeup

I love winter and rainy days but recently I've been dreaming of Spring. I've got a lot of exciting changes happening soon including a move, an exciting Make-up project and with my brothers birthday and Valentines day coming up in February I'm ready to leave behind gloomy January and move forward with the year! 

I'm still secretly hoping it will snow before Spring, but I can't wait for daffodils, lighter evenings, brighter colours (that I will only dare to wear on my lips) and an excuse to eat mini eggs! Pastel colours are slowly creeping back into the shops and I'm lusting after this Primark Outfit from Be Frassy even though I would never normally wear colours!

Also, Happy Lunar New Year everyone - Michelle has done an amazing post about the year of the horse here, It looks it's going to be a good year! x

Revlon Matte Balms

I went to boots yesterday to test out the much hyped new Revlon Matte balms and they didn't disappoint. As they were on offer in boots I picked out 3 of the brightest shades to try and they have made me pretty excited for Spring!

I used a lip balm before putting on the revlon matte balm as although they don't feel drying, they are very matte on the lips and show up any imperfections. I used Lush Mint Julips to gently exfoliate my lips and then dabbed on maybelline baby lips in hydrate before applying the revlon matte balm. They have the same minty taste as the original Revlon Just bitten lip stain and the same stick packing which is easy to twist up, apply and throw in your bag!

I wore revlon matte balm in showy all day yesterday. it hardly transferred, stayed on for a good few hours and didn't dry out my lips. It's surprising how creamy these feel on the lips considering they are so matte, I'm really impressed  with these so far!

Audacious is a pretty matte orange, I rubbed this in with my finger to blend and only went for just one coat but it is very buildable to create a strong coral orange.

Unapologetic is a bright warm pink colour that screams spring, quite a daring bold lip but very pretty.

Showy is more of a cool toned pink, whilst in boots I swatched it next to Maybelline Fuchsia Flash and Chanel La Diva and it is quite similar to both.

I love these and plan on getting a few more to build up my collection soon, I have my eye on Elusive and Striking next!

Santa Monica + Outfit(s) of the Night

Last Friday, I went out to Santa Monica with my sister and friends and had a really amazing time at the Pier and Promenade! While out, I thought it'd be fun to do a quick little Outfit of the Day/Night and everyone was more than happy to participate (I really thought the guys would take some convincing, but they were great haha)! This is the first video I've done with my sister, but I'm sure there will be a lot more since we now live in the same city. Hope you all enjoy the video and don't forget to show some love on my Youtube channel!

I finally went to Umami Burger in LA! I've been to the one that recently opened in NYC, but this was my first one on the west coast. The truffle burger was just as delicious as I remembered it. I devoured it so quickly, if it weren't $12 a burger, I would've ordered a second (and I NEVER do that with burgers). I also got their super yummy sweet potato fries and a Mexican Coke (LOVE!). The Umami was connected (I think) to a Fred Segal store so it was sort of a "mini" restaurant that wasn't the biggest or most impressive - especially when compared to the NYC location which almost feels like a high-end lounge with its decor and full size bar - but it was a good experience nonetheless, and I can't wait to go back!

After dinner, we walked over to the Pier where my sister got to ride her first ferris wheel! The view was incredible and it was really neat to see the city and beach all around us.

Don't we all look so dapper? Don't forget to watch the video to see what we're all wearing!

Have you ever been to Santa Monica?

Urban Decay Naked 3 Palette

This stunning rose gold palette is a new firm favourite for me. I love all the colours in the Naked 3 palette and find them a lot more wearable than the Naked 1 palette that I own as I prefer lighter champagne, rose and gold eyeshadows.

The packing of the Naked 3 palette is a rippled rose gold tin, which is practical and easy to wipe clean. It comes with a large mirror inside and a dual ended brush.

My favourite ever eyeshadow is MAC's naked lunch which is a lovely light pink shimmery eyeshadow so when I saw this palette full of shimmering pinks, rose gold's and warm browns, I knew I would love it. I found that the only shadow in the Naked 3 palette that I had some fallout with was Dust, however if you pack it on with a flat brush, it stays in place. All the rest are buttery smooth, well pigmented and blend really well. Although I love every colour in this palette, a few are very warm/pink based and so you do have to be careful when mixing some of the colours to avoid looking like you have swollen eyes!

I love the Naked 3 Palette and I'm glad I own it as I've already had a lot of use out of it, but with the Narsissist palette and Mac x15 palettes coming out soon theres definitely some serious competition on the way!

2013 People's Choice Awards: Top 5 Best Dressed

I did not get a chance to catch this year's People's Choice Awards- but due to my sister's insistence that I bring back my regular red carpet Best and Worst Dressed lists (and with awards season in full swing now, I guess it's perfect timing)- here I am with my thoughts on the night's fashion. Overall, I wasn't too impressed - I couldn't come up with a full Top 10 Best Dressed list so I cut it down to five - hopefully, the Golden Globes gives me a little more to work with!

Although before I start, a few thoughts: 1) I looked up the PCA Winners list and, my goodness, is there an awards show that has more categories?? 2) SO much Gravity love going on - almost too much…but I love Alfonso Cuaron and the movie was great so it's all good with me. 3) Beauty and the Beast won Best Sci-fi/ Fantasy TV Show over The Walking Dead and Supernatural?? What kind of fans does this show have? I saw a screening of the show at Comic Con last year and thought it was one of the worst pilots I've ever seen - I'm not exaggerating or trying to be harsh and I do like Kristin Kruek - maybe the show gets a lot better, I don't know, but I'm BAFFLED. 4) Moving on, seeing Sam, Dean, and Castiel win Best TV Bromance made me happy. Okay, on to the list!

#1 - Jessica Alba - Jason Wu

This dress has bandage details, a full-length zipper down the front of the dress, and lacing all down the sides…in theory, this could've turned out really trashy, but instead it's super chic, sexy, and even classy. LOVE IT! Way to go, Jess!

#2 - Jennifer Hudson - Kaufmanfranco

JHud kills it in a fierce white hot dress. Sleek, effortless, and super flattering - what's not to love?

#3 - Allison Williams - David Koma

Chic, youthful, and totally appropriate for the award show, I'm super intrigued by this initially simple-looking dress and it's futuristic detailing.  Although if this were any other color than that amazing blue that matches her eyes so well, I probably wouldn't have liked it quite as much.

#4 - Alyssa Campanella - 

I have no clue who she is (Google says she won Miss America - cool), but this dress is lovely. I know it's all about the midi trend right now and yeah, it might be a bit too formal for the occasion, but I'm a sucker for long beautiful gowns in a nice color. 

#5 - Beth Behrs - Giulietta

In a night full of midis and prints, this simple and elegant black and white gown was a refreshing stand out even if it wasn't the biggest risk-taker.

Who were your favorites?

New year, new stationery

Notepads - TKMaxx

I bought these both from TKMaxx last weekend, truth be told I only really needed one notepad but fell I in love with them both! I love the patterns on them, the Orla Kiely notebook was a steal at £7.99 (normally £18) and the cover reminds me of my favourite month, Autumn. It's a sturdy notebook and feels well made. The soft cover notebook was £2.99 and feels more like a school textbook, perfect for writing notes and lists and it comes in a variety of colours but the pink stool out as my favourite.

I think I'll use one for Make-up/Freelance notes and the other to plan blog posts. I always find that fresh new stationery always helps me to keep motivated, organised and makes me a lot more productive!

xx

The most wonderful time of the year.

A little late I know, but I had such an amazing Christmas this year that I thought I would share some of the photos. Even though it is now January!

I love Christmas, it's easily my favourite time of the year and I was so gutted to take down the tree last weekend!

I was going to wear this red velvet skirt on Christmas day but I ended up wearing it to put the tree up instead along with a cosy grey jumper and Mac RiRiwoo lipstick.

I spent most of my time over Christmas with family, eating good food, watching films, going on early crisp cold walks (Super cosy tights ftw) and having lot's of laughs. I hope you had a lovely Christmas too!

xx

Winter Wonderful TAG!

Yay, another TAG!! I love doing these, but sometimes when I get behind in videos, I tend to miss out on all the fun tags currently going around. Even though this tag does reference Christmas a few times, it still has some nice general winter questions so I figured it still wasn't too late to give it a shot!

Oh, and while I've realized that the extra room I'm staying at in my aunt's house is waaaay too dark to ever film a video inside, the backyard is quite nice! Loveee all that natural light! This will probably be my usual recording space unless I'm doing tutorials and get ready with me videos…then I will have to do those at my sister's apartment or somewhere else. I'll figure it out eventually! xD

THE QUESTIONS: 

1. What do you like best about winter? 

2. Scarves or Beanies? 

3. What's your favorite holiday movie? 

4. Favorite winter nail polish? 

5. Favorite Starbucks Holiday Drink?

 6. What are your top 3 winter essentials? 

7. Name one item on your wish list this year! 

8. Favorite holiday song? 

9. Are you going Black Friday shopping this year? 

10. Must have winter lip product? 

11. Will you be rocking an ugly Christmas sweater this year? 

12. Have you ever had a white Christmas where you live? 

13. Favorite winter candle scent? 

14. How will you be celebrating this holiday?

Have you done the Winter Wonderland Tag?

Sunday Social

1. Do you plan to change any of your eating habits in the new year? 
Yes! My eating habits were pretty bad to begin with so I plan on changing a lot of them! I received a Nutri-Bullet for Christmas so that's a good start. I'm also going to try to stop eating so late at night and to make more home cooked meals and eat out less often. Now you'd think one would be healthier living in a city where you have to walk around everywhere (NYC), but I think living in LA where it's essential to drive will actually help me be healthier. How, you ask? Yes, NYC made me walk, but it made me walk past tons of Dunkin Donuts and pizza places…and when they're literally right in front of you and only 99 cents a slice - oh, and you're hungry from walking! …Well, of course, I gave in to temptation again and again. Plus, it got so cold there, during the winter I basically lived off of delivery because I didn't want to have to lug groceries through the snow then up 6 flights of stairs. I definitely do not have these issues now that I'm in LA and can already see a difference in my lifestyle after just living here for a month!

2. Any workout tips to get us back in shape after the Holidays? 
I'm definitely not the best person to come for workout tips, but I guess one thing piece of advice that's probably important is to have realistic goals. I gained over 10 pounds in less than a year while living in New York. I understand that's not HORRIBLE, but I'm a petite person and 10 pounds is a significant amount of weight for me. My goal is to get back to a healthier weight through exercise and good eating. I know this will not happen in a month or maybe even 6 months. It might take me all year to get back into the physical shape I was before NYC, but if that's long it takes, that's how long it'll take. If you set unrealistic body goals for yourself, it'll only frustrate you and make it more difficult to stay motivated.

3. What is your favorite thing you did over the Holidays?
Having had my wisdom tooth removed, I couldn't do too much as I was recovering but I definitely enjoyed catching up on all my shows and binge-watching on Netflix. Haha. And of course, being with my family and my kitty, Xander. Oh, and once I was able to - eating my dad's delicious home cooked meals and desserts! His cherry pie is the BEST!!

4. What is something you hope that you accomplish in 2014 that you did not in 2013? 
Visit another country!! I traveled to Europe a couple years ago, and I've been aching to go back since. This year, I hope to make it happen! I still have yet to visit London and that's been on my To Do list ever since I was a little girl!

5. Name 3 things happening this year you are excited about and why.
1. Comic Con!! This happens every year, but I still look forward to it!
2. Finding a job in the entertainment industry! My dream is to be a casting director, but I know I have to take baby steps. Even if it's just an assistant position, I am just so happy to finally be working in the field of something I have so long been passionate about.
3. Getting my bartending certification and getting into entertainment law school. I know I cheated and squeezed in two here at the end, but there's just so much stuff I'm excited about this year! As you can see, I'm going to be a busy girl!

Are you as excited about 2014 as I am?

Influenster Violet VoxBox

Ahhh I finally received another Influenster Vox Box!!! I feel like it's been forever since I qualified for one! The Violet Vox Box was “inspired by this season’s dark, moody florals” and sent to the “beauty queens of Influenster Nation.”

If you don't know what Influenster is, it's a FREE program where once you sign up, you can take surveys and earn badges that can qualify you to receive various FREE VoxBoxes full of sample-sized, and very often full-sized products, to try and review.

So far, I have done reviews for Rimmel's Lash Accelerator Endless Mascara and the Beauty Blogger VoxBox through Influenster. 

Inside my VoxBox

Not Your Mother's Clean Freak Refreshing Dry Shampoo ($5.99)

My hair gets oily very easily so dry shampoo is pretty much an essential hair product for me. While this probably won't replace Batiste as my go-to dry shampoo, I do really like it. It has a very nice fresh, clean scent. When you spray it on, it doesn't leave white residue which I appreciate. I'm really happy to have a travel size dry shampoo that I can take back to LA with me.

Soyjoy in Dark Chocolate Cherry($.99)

This is a healthy, all-natural gluten-free on-the-go snack bar with non-GMO soybeans and real fruit pieces. It has 130-140 calories that can be warmed up in the microwave for a "fresh baked" taste. My bar was dark chocolate cherry flavored - unfortunately, I don't like dark chocolate or cherry flavor. It's too dry for my taste - if I wasn't so against wasting food, I probably wouldn't have finished it.

Sally Hansen New Triple Shine in "Pixie Sticks" ($4.99)

Not a very holiday-like color - I was expecting a deep rich shade since this box was inspired by "dark, moody florals" or even a violet color because well, duh. When I first saw it, the bubblegum pink shade reminded me of Essie's Boom Boom Room. I applied it without either a top or bottom coat and was very impressed with how shiny it was and how long it lasted without chipping. While I am a fan of Sally Hansen bottom and top coat polishes, I only own one SH nail polish color - after seeing how this performed, I will have to change that!

Goody Athletique Headband ($6.00)

Really happy to get this little headband! Not only is it great for keeping your hair out of your face in exercise, but I also like to use it when washing my face and putting on my makeup. It's made from moisture-wicking material to keep your forehead dry and cool. It is also adjustable to give you the perfect fit and to make sure it stays in place.

Montagne Jeunesse Clay Spas ($2.49)

I'm really excited to try this clay-infused fabric masks made from natural bamboo. I always look forward to those days when you get to pamper yourself with a face mask but the application can get a bit messy - no longer a problem with these! 

Have you tried any of these products?