beautyreview – Page 2 – Sophie Louise

Liebster Award

November 11, 2017November 11, 2017 Sophie Louise

I’ve been debating the post I should add to my blog, and luckily I’ve had the decision made for me! The gorgeous Paige of ‘Little P Blog’ has nominated me for the Liebster Award which is so lovely of her, and you should definitely go and check out her blog! Now at first glance I wasn’t quite sure what it was about, but after reading her post I’ve discovered it’s a brilliant way of discovering new blogs to follow, while telling everyone a little more about me in the process!

Paige has given me some questions to answer, so here they are!

how long have you been blogging for?

I have only been blogging for two months, so not long at all! Even so, I’ve really enjoyed writing and editing the posts I’ve put up so far so long may it continue!!

have you considered uploading to YouTube?

I can’t say I have, maybe something to think about in the future! Never say never!

what do you like to blog about most?

Not sure if anyone’s noticed, but I love posting about beauty! Anything from makeup to skincare to bath bombs, you name it, I’ll blog about it! I think it’s mainly because that’s my industry, being a makeup artist, so I can’t help but be fascinated by it and want to share it with others!

where is your favourite place that you have traveled to?

Now that’s a hard question! I’ve been incredibly lucky with some of the locations I’ve been able to visit so it’s very hard to pick one, but keeping with the theme of this blog I’m going to have to say Milan. Clearly, the shopping capital of the world so I was going to adore it anyway, however this trip allowed me to find new love for products and brands I’d never heard of thanks to their MASSIVE Sephora! We’re not lucky enough to have a Sephora in the UK so shopping there was an absolute dream! Not only that, but the architecture was absolutely incredible. The ‘Duomo Di Milano’ was one of the most spectacular things I’ve ever seen, it is absolutely massive and so detailed, an amazing place to be able to visit! I’ve attached some pictures below (maybe I’ll do a separate blog post about it??)

what made you start to want blogging?

I started my blog because I had so many products that I absolutely love and wanted to tell others about them! I thought it’d be a good way to get that out there, whilst also being a good way to spend some of my free time!

what is the most frustrating thing about blogging?

I think one of the hardest things about blogging is knowing what to blog about! I have so many ideas for posts but it’s difficult knowing which ones will reach the audience I have in mind for this blog, so that can be quite frustrating sometimes!

favourite series to watch at the moment?

Definitely Stranger Things! I’ve just started to re-watch season one as I want to have a refresher so I can go into season two in the know! I’ve heard really good things about season two so I’m really looking forward to watching it!

what is your favourite Christmas tradition?

Bar far my favourite tradition is putting the angel decoration on the top of the Christmas tree. My siblings and I do it together every year and it’s the sweetest thing!

are you open about your blog? do you tell people you blog?

I don’t see the point of keeping the fact you blog from people, I put a lot of effort into my posts so I’d like as many people to see them as possible!

twitter or instagram?

Definitely instagram! I post nearly every day and it’s a great way to advertise myself and my business! I am on twitter as well but I prefer the layout of instagram for sure!

Now I’d like to nominate a few others for this award! They are:

If you’d like to join in, here are my questions for you!

what made you start your blog?
what’s your favourite thing about your blog?
what’s the most important thing you’ve learned this year?
what’s your favourite book?
what’s your favourite scent of candle?
what mainly inspires your blog posts?
who inspires you the most?
do you prefer giving or receiving presents?
what is your favourite post on your blog?
what is your favourite day of the year?

The rules:

If you have been nominated for The Liebster Award, and you choose to accept it, write a blog post about the Liebster award in which you:

Thank the person who nominated you, and post a link to them on your blog.

Answer the questions about yourself, which will be provided to you by the person who nominated you.

Nominate blogs that you feel deserve the award, who have a less than 1000 followers.

Create a new list of questions for the nominees to answer.

List these rules in your post.

Inform the people/blogs that you nominated that they have been nominated for the Liebster award and provide a link for them to your post so that they can learn about it (they might not have ever heard of it!)

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red lipsticks for autumn/winter!

November 10, 2017 Sophie Louise

I’ve always found that an autumn/winter look isn’t complete without a gorgeous red lip, so I’ve put together a few of my favourites for you guys to try this year!

Ted Baker ‘Treasured Treats’ – Bright Red + Darker Red

We’re starting with one of my absolute favourite brands, Ted Baker. Now you may be a bit skeptical about these lippys as this brand isn’t famed for their makeup range, but I can honestly tell you they’re brilliant. I’m so here for the aesthetic of these lipsticks, they look absolutely stunning. The formula of this lipstick is incredibly creamy and because of this the texture feels amazing on the lips. These lipsticks are so hydrating and the colour pay-off is brilliant. The only thing that baffles me slightly is the fact they don’t have individual names (hence why I’ve made them up), when buying a lipstick I expect to be able to look at the bottom and find out what that specific colour is called, but I guess this brand may be a bit too up market for that! All in all they are beautiful lipsticks, not just because of the colour, but also because the formula feels incredible!

Bright Red

Darker Red

Jeffree Star Cosmetics ‘Velour Liquid Lipstick’ – Rich Blood

I’ve mentioned this brand on my blog before because I absolutely adore it! It is by far my favourite lipstick brand. The velour liquid lipsticks are a staple in my kit, I must own about 15 of them (and I’m telling you now, that still isn’t enough)! This lipstick dries down to a lovely shiny finish but still feels hydrating and keeps its bit of sparkle even when it dries! One of the main reasons I LOVE this formula is that it stays on no matter what, it honestly lasts for hours and hours. You can eat, drink, go about daily life and this lipstick will not budge. What’s more is this brand is cruelty free AND vegan which I really appreciate, so anyone and everyone can get their hands on one!

Huda Beauty ‘Liquid Matte’ – Cheerleader

It wasn’t until I went to Milan in August this year that I tried these lipsticks for the first time in Sephora, but I’m so glad I did! I was drawn to them because of their frosty packaging, it just looks so classy and sophisticated I couldn’t help myself! This lippy is soo pigmented, one layer and you’re good to go! The colour is also true to the way it looks in the packaging, a lot of the time you can put on a lipstick and it looks completely different than it did in it’s packaging, however I’ve not found that with these lipsticks and I tested a good few (and might have bought a good few as well..)! The formula dries down completely matte and stays put, however it still feels hydrating and does not dry out your lips, a must have in my eyes!

Jeffree Star Cosmetics ‘Lip Ammunition’ – Unicorn Blood

I know, I know, another Jeffree Star lipstick? This one’s a different formula! These are their ‘lip ammunition’ range which are advertised as stick lipsticks which have ‘one swipe coverage’ and they’re not wrong! This lipstick is incredibly pigmented which means you don’t need to use a lot of product, making it last longer! It has a satin like finish which is absolute gorgeous, however this one does have a tendency to come off if you ear/drink etc. Probably the best thing about this lipstick is that it smells like ice-cream, it really does! It’s an absolutely beautiful colour and more on the darker side for those smokey autumn/winter looks. I love this formula and I’m sure you will to!

So there we have it, I hope this post was helpful for those looking for a new red lippy to try out this autumn/winter! These lipsticks the perfect thing to top off a gorgeous makeup look, and I urge everyone to try at least one of them! What are your favourite red lipstick? Let me know in the comments so I can give them a go!

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October Favourites!

November 6, 2017November 7, 2017 Sophie Louise

November is now upon us, which means it’s time to look back on my beauty and lifestyle favourites from the past month! I’ve put together a collection of things that I’ve been loving this month – some new, some old! So let’s dive in..

Jeffree Star Liquid Lipstick – Daddy

This lippy is the result of a collaboration between Jeffree Star and Manny MUA. This colour absolutely screams autumn to me, I fell in love with it as soon as I saw it! It’s a very cool toned brown and perfect for those dark, smokey looks that are so in this time of year! It goes so well with the quintessential autumn colours; reds, oranges, browns and yellows. A must have for this time of year!

Huda Beauty 3D Highlighter Palette – The Pink Sands Edition

This highlighter palette is everything you could ever want. Not only does it LOOK stunning, but the product itself is to die for!! First of all the packaging is always amazing, I think we can all agree the makeup on the cover is just perfection!

This palette retails for £40 in the UK off of cultbeauty.co.uk, which I think is an excellent price. I’ll tell you why – first off the pan sizes are huge, I love this about the palette as it allows you to comfortably dip in practically any sized brush and get a good coating of product, and this means the palette lasts longer than average! The formula of the product is absolutely stunning; it’s lightweight, creamy, SO pigmented and with three powders (SANTORINI, IBIZA and AZORES) and one cream formula (CAPRI) to choose from it’s well worth it’s price! (well.. I think so!). The colours in the ‘Pink Sands’ palette are also perfect for this time of year, with a mixture of warm and cool shades there’s one for every look!

Kat Von D “Shade and Light” Contour Palette

This contour palette is everything I didn’t know I needed! It was so hyped up when it first came out and I will admit I was pretty skeptical because of it. The palette retails for £37 in the UK and I wasn’t sure about the price point, however, after using the palette for the first time I knew I was onto a winner!

kat von d 4 — Top left-“lucid” (light beige toned powder) Top middle-“lyric” (yellow toned banana powder) Top right-“levitation” (warm toned peachy powder) Bottom left-“sombre” (cool grey toned powder) Bottom middle-“shadowplay” (warmer grey toned powder) Bottom right-“subconscious” (deepest colour in the palette, cool but still with a grey undertone)

The palette comes with six different (all matte) shades; three highlight powders and three contour powders. The powder formula is highly pigmented and the colours come in a good range. The top three light shades are very versatile and I mainly use them to set under my eyes, however they also make good transition colours when applying eyeshadow. The bottom three contour powders are a great trio, my favourite is the far left shadow as it has slight grey undertones, making colour look like a more natural shadow instead of obvious makeup.

Urban Decay “all nighter” setting spray

I have been a massive fan of this product for the longest time and I use it every day of my life! (well, when I’m wearing makeup anyway!).

After I apply my base (foundation, concealer, etc) I always make sure I give my face a spray before moving onto setting everything with my powders, I also use the spray as the final step of my makeup routine. This product is SO easy to use and only takes 3-4 sprays to cover my whole face (although I do use a bit more depending on what my face needs to last through that day!). The product retails for £23.50 in the UK which I must admit I do think is a bit pricey, however, price becomes one of the minor factors when you find a product that actually works and that you use in your everyday routine as it’s SO reliable. I can go out for 8+ hours after applying the setting spray and my makeup stays flawless, no creasing, no fading and no settling into those fine lines in the skin. I really struggle with the creasing around my “smile lines” (from the corners of my mouth to the edges of my nose) but with this setting spray I find it doesn’t become an issue! Overall, this is one of, if not, my must have products in my makeup kit!

So there we have it! My October fav’s, I hope you enjoyed reading them and hopefully you’re thinking about trying at least one of these products for Autumn/Winter 2017!!

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Halloween Skull Makeup

October 19, 2017October 19, 2017 Sophie Louise

I am beyond excited for halloween this year so thought I’d share a quick little look inspired by all the skulls I’ve seen on Instagram this year!

This look is so quick and easy that anyone can give it a go! And what’s more, it doesn’t have to be the colours below, you can tailor them to your own vision, maybe a bright pink, a dark green, a royal purple?

I first of all decided to leave my eyebrows natural for this look as it gives a softer, more smooth look to the face. I then started on the eyes and decided to go for a dark, golden smokey look. I began by blending a soft brown colour into and above my crease, then adding a darker brown through the crease and only blending out slightly, as not to cover up the light brown that I put there before. After this I blended the eyeshadow up the bridge of my nose and past my eyebrows to give a sunken in look, using first the light brown and then going over it with the darker brown. After the brown shadow, I lightly added black to the outer corner of my eyelids, blending out thoroughly with each application. After the black was blended thoroughly I added a golden shimmer shadow to the inside corner of the lid and blended out. Last step of the eyes had to then be lashes! (I used the eyelure pair NO.146)

After the eyes, I moved onto the base. First of all I did my base like normal; foundation, concealer, blush, contour and highlight. After this I added two lines down my cheekbones and dragged the end down towards my chin to create the illusion of a sunken in face. I then blended the lines down to give depth to the cheeks, pressing the brush down lighter and lighter as I blended away from the original line.

After this, I drew a simple skeleton nose using black eyeliner to outline and fill in the shape, and then went over with black eyeshadow to set the liquid and make sure the eyeliner didn’t run! The mouth was very simple, I started by outlining the teeth lightly with black eyeshadow and then when I was happy with them went over the lines with black eyeliner. After the eyeliner had dried I went in with an opaque white eyeshadow to fill in the teeth, going over with a few layers to make sure the colour stands out. I then went over with a highlighter to add a shine to the teeth. I used the same highlighter to add a shine to my cheekbones above where I had drawn the sunken in lines.

This was such a fun look to do and I’d suggest it for anyone looking to do a more glam take on a halloween favourite!!

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Eyelash Haul! (not addicted, just dedicated)

September 29, 2017September 29, 2017 Sophie Louise

Sooo.. I may have gone a bit overboard today in my quest to buy ONE nice pair of eyelashes.. and came back with five.. not my fault! They’re just too beautiful, and when they’re 1/2 price how can you resist??

Eyelure is definitely my all time favourite eyelash brand. They have such diverse styles so there’s always one appropriate for the look you’re after. Whether it’s a soft bridal look, a high fashion glam look or just a day to day pair, they’ve got it all. All their lashes are very lightweight and are able to be worn more than once, which is ideal seeing as I wear them every day of my life! As I don’t have to buy a pair for every day it allows me to save money (which I then admittedly spend on more lashes) HOWEVER, not the point. The point is: more wears = less money spent, and I consider that a win!

Allow me to share some of my favourite styles that I’m LOVING for the Autumn/Winter ’17 vibe!

No.107 – Volume

These lashes are just too adorable! They give off a subtle yet full look, paying homage to our vintage favs (aka Audrey Hepburn). They are SO lightweight making you feel up-market without weight you down! These are a must have in my kit as I am yet to find someone who doesn’t love them!

No.126 – Definition

A perfectly light pair of lashes with more flutter than a butterfly! These lashes not only make your eyelashes look longer, but are also very lengthening. Just as the name suggests, these lashes give your eyes a very defined and sleek look, flawless some may say.. a gorgeous pair of lashes that work with pretty much any look you desire to create!

No.149 – Exaggerate

These are my all time FAVOURITE lashes! They give my eyes such a dramatic shape and really structure the look that I create. These lashes are ‘double layered’ so they give twice the drama, which is perfect for someone like me that loves to make a statement. Saying this, they’re not too over-dramatic and can easily be worn on a day-to-day basis, as long as you’re not one for the very natural, ‘barely-there’ look. Due to the ‘double layered’ feature of these lashes their colour and structure is enhanced, giving the illusion of being more full and voluptuous! All I can say is these lashes will never be beaten for me!

Enchanted After Dark ‘#mermaidsarecool’

I am such a fan of the different collections that Eyelure brings out, and the ‘Enchanted After Dark’ collection is definitely in my top rated! With the name #mermaidsarecool I’m going to go ahead an assume there’s a nod to a very famous red-haired mermaid somewhere in there.. a Princess close to my heart (hence why I had to have them).. this pair of lashes is very textured and gives a very full look to the eye. This collection is a ‘wispy edition’ so you can very well imagine each style of lash in this collection is definitely has a distinct wisp.. the wispiness (is that a word?.. we’ll go with it) of these lashes is definitely on the softer side. However, they are so soft and lightweight they allow you to flutter your lashes to your heart’s content!

Enchanted After Dark ‘#shoesaremymuse’

Again, I’m just assuming here but I’m going with there being a distinct nod to a certain Princess who lost a glass slipper.. again another one of my favourites. These lashes definitely give the eyes more of a delicate look, as soon as I put them on I found myself fluttering away at anyone who decided to come within a five feet radius.. they immediately made me feel one hundred times more elegant, and again have a very lightweight feel. They have a delicate flare at the end of each lash which really opens up the eye and gives a beautiful structure.

As I said, not an addiction, just dedicated..

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My Top 4 Affordable Makeup Removers!

September 23, 2017September 28, 2017 Sophie Louise

“Garnier Micellar Cleansing Water”

This remover is one of my all time favourites, and not just because of the price! This product retails for £4.99 for a 400ml bottle, which is an excellent price point for the amount you get! As I have quite sensitive skin myself I struggle to find a remover that doesn’t irritate my eyes and skin, mainly the skin around my eyelids. This formula has been designed specifically to cater to sensitive skin and I’ve never found it to irritate, even around the most susceptible areas. The formula feels so gentle but still allows you to take off your makeup without the need to really rub the skin or eye area. It is made with micelles which act like tiny magnets which lift the makeup right off your face. Another thing I love about this product is that it doesn’t contain any perfume which helps be even kinder and more gentle to the skin. An absolute must have!

“Simple ‘Kind to Skin’ purifying cleansing lotion”

I’ve always found Simple to be exactly that – Simple. This product retails for £3.80 for a 200ml bottle. This formula does not contain any harsh chemicals, perfumes, colours or oils making it very kind to the skin. Not having any of these thing, and keeping the formula ‘simple’, really helps to efficiently remove makeup without being harsh or irritating. I find that the formula gently removes makeup without leaving any residue on the skin, leaving my skin feeling fresh and cleansed. The formula also contains vitamin B which helps to smooth and soften the skin, leaving you feeling refreshed and eradicates any feeling of dryness after it is used. A great remover for people that struggle with dry or sensitive skin.

“Nivea daily essentials ‘Double Effect’ makeup remover”

This remover is an absolute dream as it doesn’t just remove makeup, it also cleanses the skin like a toner. The price point for this product is £3.89 for a 125ml bottle. It has a ‘two phase’ technology that tackles makeup without feeling harsh to the skin. The first is an oil phase which effectively removes makeup from the skin and eyes, even removing waterproof mascara with ease. The second stage is an aqueous stage which protects and cares for your skin, and equally importantly your eyelashes, while removing any oily residue from the first phase. The best part? It’s all combines into one easy to use formula, so you get double the action with half the hassle! Another thing I personally love is the product requires shaking to combine before use, allowing me to take out any stresses I might have from the day before taking off my makeup!

“L’oreal ‘fine flowers’ cleansing milk”

This formula claims to remove makeup, nourish and cleanse the skin – and it does exactly that! The price point is £5.99 for 500ml, a very reasonable price. It is designed for sensitive and dry skin. The smell of rose and jasmine immediately drew me to this product straight away. The formula is advertised as a ‘milk’ and is very gentle and hydrating, while efficiently removing makeup. It took me two cotton pads of product to remove my full face, which is around the same amount as other products. My only criticism would be that it leaves a slight residue on the skin, however this is probably down to it being very hydrating. I do find myself leaving a toner afterwards to really cleanse my skin, but this isn’t too bad as they provide one in the range for you!

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Jeffree Star Cosmetics Velour Liquid Lipstick Review!

September 12, 2017September 28, 2017 Sophie Louise

Anyone who’s ever met me knows that my all time favourite product is the velour liquid lipsticks by Jeffree Star Cosmetics. These lippys are to die for!

There is a wide range of colours with 40+ shades in the collection. There is every colour you could imagine in the collection; from the deepest red, most royal blue, brightest yellow and even multiple shades of green!

brown swatches — Left to right – “I’m shook”, “Calabasas”, “Gemini”, “Mannequin” and “Nude beach”

The website states that the lipsticks go on opaque and dry down completely matte, which is no word of a lie. The formula does exactly that and it stays on for hours! After eating, drinking and going about daily life these lipsticks aren’t budging. The matte formula isn’t the only one the brand provides, they also have a good range of metallic shades which give the lip a beautiful shine.

red swatches — Left to right: “Designer blood”, “Rich blood” and “Checkmate”

I found that both formulas are hydrating and do not leave my lips dry and cracking at the end of the day/night. This is especially so if a decent lip scrub is applied before application which I recommend everyone does. Jeffree Star Cosmetics even caters for this as they have their own range of lip scrubs in some delicious flavours such as; rootbeer, mojito, watermelon, blue raspberry and many more.

What’s more, all the brand’s products are vegan and cruelty free, so anyone and everyone is able to purchase their range.

This product has been a staple in my kit for many years, after discovering the formula I’ve never looked back. So if you’re looking for a long lasting, hydrating, all rounder liquid lipstick with all the shades you could dream of, look no further!

Top Left – “virginity”, Bottom left – “scorpio”, Top middle – “rich blood”, Bottom middle – “i’m shook” and Right – “prom night”

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Juvia’s Place Magic Palette Review

September 3, 2017September 28, 2017 Sophie Louise

After seeing all the hype online about this brand I had to try it out for myself! After browsing the site I decided to purchase the “Magic Palette” for £30 as I thought it contained the widest selection of both matte and shimmer colours.

Let’s start with the good points; Upon arrival the packaging was beautiful and the palette was much bigger than I had anticipated, with the pan sizes being nearly double what I assumed from the pictures online. The artwork on the front of the packaging is absolutely breathtaking and makes the whole thing very elegant.

Now to the eyeshadow itself. After one swipe in the pan the pigment pay-off incredible, the colours are so vibrant and very opaque. The formula blends so easily on the eyes and stays put for hours, as long as it is primed with a good base.

This leads me on to the not so great.. after wearing the eyeshadow a couple of times I found that the brighter matte colours have a tendency to stain the eyelids, especially the more warm tones. This really takes away from the great first impression I had towards this palette as I was so impressed with the other aspects.

This however does not mean I won’t be using this palette, but I am now weary about using the product on my clients and tend to use other brands because of the staining issue. I will definitely continue to use the eyeshadow on myself because the result I get from these eyeshadows, for me, outweighs the issue of slight staining.

beauty

Illamasqua skin base foundation review

August 31, 2017September 28, 2017 Sophie Louise

I had heard so many people talking about this foundation I just had to try it out for myself.

I started out by doing some research on the Illamasqua website and discovered they have 33 shades available, including a completely white shade. This range includes a wide selection of colours with varying undertones so finding a match for your skin is pretty easy.

I purchased the shade 6.5 for myself which was a perfect match for my skin, then also purchased shades 01, 02 and 13 for mixing purposes in my kit.

On first arrival the packaging appeared sleek and lightweight, without looking cheap. The bottles looked a little on the small side however when I started using the foundation I soon discovered that a little goes a LONG way.

On first application the foundation feels soft and lightweight, so I naturally expected very little coverage.. how wrong I was! The website states a medium to full coverage and that’s exactly what you get with this foundation. As it states on the bottle it has a “natural and build-able coverage” which allows you to tailor the amount of coverage to your wants and needs. The layers blend together beautifully, without looking cakey.

After blending it on my own skin, I decided to mix a few of the shades to see how easy it would be. The formula is just as it’s quoted “easily and effortlessly blend-able” whilst keeping the quality of coverage. Illamasqua are onto a winner with their white shade (01), as it makes mixing formulas to a specific tone even easier.

I’ve found that this foundation really gives the skin a natural looking glow. Although I do love a good glow I was worried with regards to the flashback it may give in photos. I decided to test it on a shoot and all my worries turned out to be for nothing, the foundation gave no flashback and the pictures came out beautifully.

I think you can probably guess the conclusion I’ve come to about this foundation.. I’m in love! It has a lightweight feel with great coverage, is easily mixed into different shades and blending it on the skin is a dream. I’d definitely recommend this product to anyone wanting to try out a new base, great job Illamasqua!