Christmas Gift Guide for Girls: Stocking Stuffers

Although the thought of Christmas shopping may be rather stressful, theres nothing better than the buzzing high street in December, and knowing you have the perfect gift for some which which they'd absolutely love.

I've put together a collection of items I think most girls my age (15) would love to receive at Christmas time, and hopefully you will find this helpful!

So most girls love a bit of beauty all year round, am I right? Experimenting with new makeup and watching endless youtube videos talking about different products is my guilty pleasure. There are many new, limited edition products around at this time of year, as well as many great deals everybody wants to get there hands on!

Everyone loves a bit of guilty pampering, especially during the cold weather. There are so many wonderful deals around during the festive season, as well as many great gift sets from Soap and Glory to Jack Wills and Ted Baker.

Candles candles candles! You can't beat a festive candle during the winter. Yankee candle small jars and particularly votives and tea lights are great stocking stuffers as well as being pretty inexpensive and there is such a huge variety of amazing scents.

Small, inexpensive items such as PocketBacs or perhaps nail varnishes or lip balms are great stocking stuffers because there is such a variety out there. Maybe you know someone who collects a certain item, and you can help them build up their collection even more.

Merchandise is always a good idea to gift to someone at Christmas, because it may only be a slight gesture but could mean a lot to them. If you know of someone who loves a certain celebrity, perhaps a band or a youtuber, surprise them with some of their merchandise or products on Christmas day.

Let me know if you have any more stocking stuffer ideas! Thanks for reading!

xoxo,
Soph

New Lush Purchases - First Impressions and Review

I've been a loyal Lush customer for some time now, as I always love to try out new products and scents. I find it so fascinating to watch the bright colours swirl amongst the bubbles in my bath and even though I have my favourites, I'm always willing to try something new.

My local Lush store was recently refurbished and I was lucky enough to go on the day of the reopening to check out the new store and purchase some products which I've heard a lot about and I've had my eye on for a while. 

The first product I purchased was The Pink Flamingo bubble bar for £5.95 which I think its a great price considering you get multiple uses out of this product. I'm useless at describing scents, however I think its smells rather fruity and sweet. The product description states its a fruity, cocktail inspired reusable bubble bar filled with fragrant rosewood and ylang ylang.

I think this product is so cute! As you can see, its a pink flamingo shapes product which smells amazing, and its a gorgeous bright pink colour with orange underneath which I think will look great in the water. This bubble bar is on a stick, so you swirl it around in the water to create bubbles and you get multiple uses out of it which definitely makes it worth the price. 

I've heart a lot about the Intergalactic bath bomb which until recently like the Pink Flamingo was exclusive the Oxford Street store. I love the bright blue shimmery colour of the product which I think would look magical in the water, and you can also see some bright, fun colours peeking through. I would describe the scent as rather minty which I absolutely love, and it was only £3.95.

"Ground control to major bomb. Prepare for takeoff as this awesome mix of peppermint and popping candy explodes in your bath, creating the scent of an intergalactic 80s rogue. Launch it into the water to become the guardian of your own galaxy." I love the description of the product on the label, I can't wait to try it out!

"The most thrilling bath number ever staged. It's unbelievable, it's sensational, it's The Experimenter." Also for £3.95, I decided to pick up The Experimenter bath ballstic which I've also heard a lot about. The colours are supposed to be amazing in the bath, which I'm super excited for. 

I'd say the scent is less sweet, and slightly more musky than Intergalactic. It contains Fair Trade vanilla and popping candy which makes a great crackling noise in the bath. If you're looking for a bright, fun multi coloured bath bomb, I'd definitely recommend this one!

"Do you want to have a bath bomb? Do you want to splash and play? Take this magical blend of uplifting grapefruit and Tunisian neroli into the bath with you to thaw the iciest of moods."

Inspired by the movie Frozen, this is a icy blue shimmery bath ballistic which reminds me of icicles and snow. The scent is gorgeous and I'm hoping it will turn the water blue and magical which I'm super excited for and I can't wait to try it out.

And finally, I purchased an old favourite which is the "Twilight" bath ballistic. Its a really cute pastel pink colour with baby blue in the centre, and it turns your bath a gorgeous purple and plus it smells amazing! I love to watch the beautiful colours fizz in the water.

"Run yourself the perfect temperature bath, get in and take a moment to let go of the world outside your bathroom, before launching your ballistic into the water and watch it fizz away."

Thank you for reading! I'm so excited to try out all these new lush bits, make sure check out their new products, I love them! Make sure you check out my instagram @sprinkleofsophx I follow back!

xoxo,

Soph

Baby Lips Winter Collection - Review and Swatches

Throughout the cooler months, I can't go anywhere without a lip balm since my lips get so dry in the cool, crisp air. I love deeper lip shades throughout the Autumn and Winter time, but I prefer a sheer tint of colour which is why I love tinted lip balms.

 After weeks of searching, I finally managed to find the new Baby Lips Winter Collection! They retail for only 2.99 which is the usual price for baby lips, however I got them for buy one get one half price in my local Superdrug.

First impressions, my favourite thing about the new baby lips collection is the new packaging. I think its super cute and definitely represents the winter with the snow, ear muffs and mittens on the text. I also love the names of each shade, Sweet Apple, Sugar Cookie and Hot Cocoa, they all make me think of winter and I think they're all so cute.

Firstly, my favourite is Sugar Cookie. It's a gorgeous bright pink shade, similar to pink punch but its slightly more on the lighter side. I'd say its actually slightly more pigmented than a lot of the other baby lips available. In my opinion, the best thing about this product is the scent, I love it! I'm obsessed with anything cookie dough, from ice cream to lip balm. If you're looking for a sheer pinkly product, I'd definitely recommend this one.

The second new baby lips I purchased is Sweet Apple, and I love everything about it! The packaging makes me think of Christmas which I'm obsessed with, its a gorgeous sheer deep red colour perfect for Autumn and Winter, and it smells delicious! It makes me think of warm apple crumble in the winter time. I think this is the perfect transition shade from Summer to Fall, as its a dark yet sheer shade.

Finally, I have Hot Cocoa. The packaging and also colour of the product is similar to Peach Kiss, a sheer nude brown shade. It smells of chocolate and its perfect for the Winter time as it makes you feel super cosy, I love it!

All three of the new Baby Lips are super moisturising just like the other products in the Baby Lips range, and I love all three of the new scents and colours! I hope you enjoyed this short and sweet review, thanks for reading! Also follow my instagram @sprinkleofsophx, I follow back!

xoxo,
Soph

Autumn Essentials 2015♡

As the sweater weather approaches, everything becomes cosier. The candles come out and I love to snuggle under a blanket with a mug of hot chocolate in the evenings.

Autumn is the prime time of the year for dark, bold lip, and I also live to experiment with a warmer colours on the eyes. As I'm currently trying to transition into the deeper lip shades, I've been loving darker shades of the Maybelline Baby Lips lipbalms. They give a sheer tint of colour to the lips and keep them moisturised, perfect for the cool weather as the leaves start to fall. I also love my benefit tinted balms in benebalm and lollibalm, both gorgeous Fall colours.

 Cosy jumpers are essential for me during the Fall season. They are perfect to accessorise with some cosy boots and a big fluffy scarf to keep you warm outside as the leaves crunch under your feet. I purchased mine at the Clothes Show Live a couple of years ago, and its perfect for keeping warm during the sweater weather.

Autumn/Winter is the best time of year for candles. Lighting a scented candle will fill a room with a pleasent scent and make the atmosphere a lot more cosy and make you feel warm. Yankee candles do some of the best scents for this time of year, and lift your spirits when its cold outside. My current favourite is Toasted Marshmallow and I also love Christmas Cookie.

During the Autumn season the darker, warmer colours begin to emerge and I love to experiment with new shades on my nails. Recently I've been loving dark purples, shimmery reds and most of all, rose gold and copper colours. I'm obsessed with Models Own Chrome Rose and also Copper by Seventeen.

Thank you for reading! I hope you've enjoyed the relaunch of my blog, make sure you follow my instagram @sprinkleofsophx I follow back.

xoxo,

Soph

Technic Blusher and Bronzer Review

Blusher and bronzer are definitely both not essential makeup items for me, however they add colour and dimension to the face. There are so many different products on the market, from shimmery to matte, and darker to lighter tones. Technic once again very kindly sent me some products to review.

Mega blush is a large blusher quad, with four different blusher tones to match any skintone. At first, the product is shimmery but after a few uses it becomes more matte as you get further into the pan. 

The first shade is very light, and would work as a great highlighter on darker skintones. Its not so great if you're going for a flushed look, however adds a bit of colour to your face brightening up your complexion. The second shade is almost a classic shimmery pink and is similar to some other blushes I own. It would pretty much work for any skintone and looks great all year round.

The third shade is a bit more coral/orangey toned and is personally my favourite as it looks the most natural. Again, this would look great on most skintones, more so if you have yellowey toned skin, even though mine is pinky. Finally, the last shade is very dark and reddish, perfect for dark skintones. It would look great in the Autumn. Be careful, only use a small amount to avoid it looking harsh, if have pale skin I would recommend using one of the lighter shades. 

I also recieved a Technic bronzer. This is also slightly shimmery, which brightens up the skin however I prefer a matte bronzer. There are three slightly different shades all together in one product with a lovely design on top. I don't really wear bronzer, but this will be great for my stage makeup as its great for a shimmery look, and you can also use it to contour. The packaging is square which I like and its different to other compact powder products I own.

Thanks for reading everyone! I tried to keep this post short and snappy as I tend to write on a bit sometimes. I will have more Technic reviews coming soon, I'm having a busy few weeks so please bade with me! Remember to follow my instagram @sophelizax for updates on when I post and some beauty photos, I follow back!

xoxo,

Sophie

My Top 5 Mascaras

In my opinion, mascara brings together a whole look, whether it lengthens, thickens or volumises your lashes. An eye makeup look without mascara is like a sky without clouds. This is a step to every makeup routine that I recommend you don't miss, so if you're just starting out with makeup and purchasing your first mascara, or you are looking investing in a new one then I have put together a blog post of my top 5 favourite mascaras that work well for me.

5. Maybelline Great Lash - £4.99

So in at number five we have the Maybelline Great Lash Mascara. I own the waterproof one and I find it really handy for rainy days, or days I have swimming. The product can sometimes smudge under my eyes in the water, but that only occurs when I apply to both my top and bottom lashes. The small size lf the brush makes it easier to reach the hard to get to corners of your eyes and seperates the eyelashes well and adds length. Sometimes, I find that the mascara can clump so I like to stick for just one thin coat and I find it great.

4. Maybelline Rocket Volume Express - £7.99

Number four is an old favourite of mine, Maybelline The Rocket! The wand is plastic which I definitely prefer over a fibre  brush as I find it lengthens so much more. This mascara is similar to They're Real by Benefit, as it really lengthens my lashes and thickens them slightly too. However I find that the formular sometimes clumps and it doesn't seperate my lashes as much as some other mascaras that I have tried. The wand is a bigger version of They're Real, which can sometimes be not so great as it tends to get around my eyes and its harder the reach the inner and outer corners. Overall, it is pretty great quality compared to many other mascaras on the shelves and I would recommend it if you're looking for something lengthening.
 

3. Collection No Clumps - £2.99
In at number 3 I have chosen the Collection No Clumps mascara. I love this product for everyday wear as it lengthens my lashes without making them too thick and harsh. It is also really easy to apply, your eyes are complete with just a few strokes. The small, thin size of the brush is also very useful, as it is so easy to apply to the eyes. Again, the wand is plastic as I definitely prefer them. This product is a wonderful dupe for Benefit They're Real and is only a fraction of the price, definitely a must have for your makeup bag!

2. Benefit They're Real - £19.50
I think everyone who has tried They're Real has at least something positive to say about it, but is it worth the hype. I have been told before that this mascara is the No.1 mascara in the UK, if  not the world (not sure if this is true,) and that celebrities such as Kim Kardashian use and love it. Personally, I really like the product but I don't think its drastically comparable to some other plastic brush mascaras I have tried. Sometimes, I do find the finish too out there and bold for my liking, and the formula can sometimes clump. However with just a few strokes you have intense length and volume to your lashes and the wand is so easy to get to the inner and outer lashes with the bristles on the tip.

1. Technic Lashitude - £3.99
Thank you so much to Sally and everyone at Technic and Love thy Makeup for sending me this product a few weeks ago, a review on all the products I received is already up on my blog. I absolutely love this mascara, it is perfect for daily wear, its lengthening and doesn't clump on my eyelashes at all, The packaging is so similar to They're Real but is so much cheaper. The want again has bristles on the tip to get to the hard to reach lashes and it separates so well, I really recommend it. If you don't want to invest the money on the benefit product, this is just as good, if not better and costs a fraction of the price. Click here to browse the Technic website.

Thanks so much for reading, I really hope this post helped some of you out in one way or another. Sorry if I went on a bit too much, I tend to do that!

Remember to follow my instagram @sophelizax I follow back, and follow this blog on the left side of the page, it would really help me a lot.

xoxo,
Sophie

January Favourites 2015

I am forever experimenting with different beauty products, and I'm always discovering new obsessions. Today, I have decided to share my favourite product from the month of January, so I hope you enjoy reading.

Technic Smooth It Primer
This primer smoothens out my skin tone and keeps my makeup looking flawless all day. It's great for me as I have combination skin, and my nose doesn't get as oily throughout the day using this product.

 

Rimmel Match Perfection Foundation

This foundation provides a medium coverage for your skin and feels lightweight meaning it doesn't cake. There is a wide range of shades meaning this product will work for many people.

 



 

Makeup Revolution Iconic 3 Palette

This palette is a dupe for the Urban Decay Naked 3, for only £4. The shadows are pigmented and long lasting and there are a wide range of shades from light pinks, rose golds and darker browns.

 



Technic Lashitude Mascara
This product is a great dupe for the Benefit They're Real mascara. It has a plastic wand applicator which are personally my favourites. It adds length and doesn't thicken too much meaning its perfect for daily wear.



Mac Lipstick Crème Cup
I recently bought my first mac lipstick in crème cup and I'm in love! It is a nudish-pink shade and its really pigmented and long lasting.

 

Benefit Benebalm

This is a shear but buildable to a strong pigmentation tinted lip balm. Benebalm is my favourite shade, it is a bright cherry red. You could also use the matching tint underneath for stronger colour.

 



 

 

Spectrum Collections Powder Brush

This brush makes it so much quicker to apply powder and set your face makeup. It is so soft and the blue, purple and pink ombre packaging is gorgeous!

 

 

Lush Bubblegum Lip Scrub

This product is so good for exfoliating the lips, especially in the cold winter season. It also smells of snow fairy which I love, and tastes so good!

 





 

Garnier Rose Cream Moisturiser

This product is great for sensitive skin like mine, smells lovely and its very light to apply to the skin. I use it every morning and evening for best results.

 



 

 

Thanks so much for reading! I kept this post short and snappy for a change, I hope you enjoyed it. I am considering doing a post like this possibly every few months. Also, remember to follow my instagram @sophelizax and like a few photos, I follow back! I should have a few posts up next week as I have no school.

 

xoxo,

Sophie