July Favorites

Welcome back everyone, today I have my July monthly favorites for you all. I don't know where that month went it flew by! This month I don't have much beauty favorites as I have been just using the same products I've mentioned before, however I do have a few gems to share with you all and this month and from now on in my monthly favorites I am going to include my favorite snapchatters and quote of the month just to vary it a bit. Anyway enough of the ramble onto my favorites!

1. Catrice Prime and Fine Anti-Red Base

I have to admit when I first bought this I didn't think it would do much. I have a good bit of redness mainly on my cheeks and nose so I can't expect it to get rid of the redness completely however it does help with toning down the redness and acts as a great base under foundation. Its only 4:99 and can be picked up in most pharmacies and Penney's.

2. Argan Oil Night Repair Serum

I mentioned this awhile back in my skincare routine blog post when I only had started using it. I've been using it for a good few months now and am inpressed. I find my skin feels alot more hydrated after I use this and the hydration last throughout the night. It is only 1:49 in Dealz so for the price its defintley worth giving a go.

3. Penney's PS... Pressed Powder

My main reason for picking up this powder in Penney's was to just have as a back up in my bag, but its is actually really good, not cakey on the skin and very long lasting on the skin. For the price at 2;50 euro its a little gem.

4. Harvest Morn milled chia seeds

I have heard so many good things about chia seeds and all of their amazing benefits so I decided to try these ones out from Aldi. I picked these up about a month ago now and I have really noticed a difference in my health. This one contains milled linseed, hemp seed and chia seed. I like to add a tablespoon of this to my porridge in the mornings and chia seeds are high in protein which keeps you fuller for longer. I can confirm it does keep me fuller for longer. Chia seeds are also a natural source of omega 3 which is great for people who don't like fish. I've noticed a lot of growth and strength in my nails and hair. And their also high in fiber which is great to keeps things moving, tmi but true! I can't remember the exact price but their under 3 euro which is such great value for the quality!

5. Crownfield Milled Linseed

I also picked up this Milled Linseed cereal topping in Lidl at the same time I picked up the milled chia seeds. This one contains sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, chia seeds and goji berries. I also love adding this to my porridge or yogurt. It has a lovely flavor, keeps you full and is great for your overall health. This again was under 3 euro in Lidl so you can't go wrong!

6. Favorite snapchatter of the month:

 

I love so many snapchatters so I decided to share one snapchatter that I am loving every month in my favorites. This month my favorite is Faces by Grace. I have been following Grace for a while now. Grace is a freelance makeup artist and blogger from Dublin. Grace seems like such a genuine down to earth girl. She snaps all things beauty, fashion, nutrition, mental health and general chit chat.  She is also pregnant with her first baby and I am loving following her journey and can't wait to see her new arrival soon.

7. Favorite quote of the month

I also love so many quotes so I am going to share one of my favorites every month with you all. The quote below is very relevant to my life right now. I will hopefully be going to college in September and trying to get everything sorted for it is very challenging for me now. This quote reminds me in these stressful times that this difficult time will pass and is hopefully leading me to bigger and better things in the future. 

I hope you all enjoyed my favorites this month and the few new additions I have added. Let me know what you all have been loving this month.

Until next time,

Sophie x

Penney's Wishlist (July)

Welcome back everyone. I've always loved Penney's, they have everything you need clothes, shoes, and beauty all in the one shop and with their price point you really can't go wrong. So today I'm going to share with you all what I'm currently lusting over!

First up is this gorgeous summery embroidered off the shoulder dress. I immediately fell in love with this when I seen it. It's priced at 20 euro, so is definitely worth picking up, it's perfect for the summertime.

When I saw these nude court heels I immediately fell in love with them. How gorgeous and elegant are they? Ideally for a wedding however they would be perfect dressed up with a dress or skirt and top, or paired down with a pair of jeans and a t-shirt. For only 19 euro they're a steal. The clutch is only 8 euro and is lovely too,both would go perfectly with any outfit to take you from day to night!

These pretty lingerie sets have been loved and raved about by many and I can see why. They're pretty and comfortable and are perfect for us small in the chest area. They are priced at 6 euro each and I'll be definitely picking some sets up.

I love this camel colored off the shoulder top. Lauren Arthur paired it with a pair of white shorts and sandals which I think is such a simple but stylish outfit perfect for summer. The top is priced at only 10 euro which is a steal!

I love how this pinstriped shirt can be worn casually with a shorts and sandals or dressed up with a skirt or a pair of jeans and heels. Its a basic staple for every girl to have in her wardrobe. At only 13 euros it is definitely worth picking up.

I love Penney's pajamas the majority of mine are from Penney's. They always have such cute designs and I love these ones. I love leopard print and cats so they're a win win for me. They are only 9 euro each for these PJ's set.

Penney's have really upped their game in regards to their beauty and cosmetic line. These bronze ranged products look really good, defo need to try them out. The products start at only 3 euro.

I own some of the Penney's brushes and I love them. But now there is an oval brush and a case for your brushes how exciting? For the price point they're really good quality, I'll definitely have to pick up some more.

That's everything that I have been loving from Penney's at the moment. Let me know what your loving from Penneys! :)

Until next time,

Sophie x

My night time essentials

Welcome back everyone! Today I'm going to share some of my night time essentials with you. These are some of the things I use/do every night more than likely without fail. Hope you all enjoy!

Skincare- Regardless of whether I'm wearing makeup or not I have to wash my face. I've been using the Simple Kind to Skin moisturizing facial wash for ages now and my skin seems to like it so its staying! Then I use the Simple Rich moisturizer mixed with 2 drops of the Argan Oil night repair serum from Dealz! I know what your thinking a serum that's good from Dealz? I thought the same but after hearing so many people rave about it I gave it a go and its actually really good for 1.49 euro and leaves my skin feeling nice and hydrated.

Hot shower/bath- I always shower at night-time. It really relaxes me and helps me sleep better. If I have the time I'll run myself a bath to really unwind and for extra relaxation.

Body moisturizer- At the moment I am using the Aveeno daily moisturizing lotion, it keeps the skin moisturized for hours after you apply it which I love.

Netflix- I am nearly always watching something on Netflix, my latest obsession is Pretty Little Liars. I'm only on season 2 but I love watching it especially at night.

Dessert- I always have to have some sort of dessert after my dinner. Lately I've been having Glenisk Strawberry yogurt with an orange and sometimes some chocolate!

Tea- I also like to have some sort of tea at night-time. I've been loving peppermint tea lately, it has a lovely taste and is a great for unwinding and to end your day with.

Electric blanket- This is an essential for me at night-time as I am always cold! Its bliss getting into a cosy warm bed at night-time.

Tangle Teezer- This makes brushing out my hair at night so much easier. It just glides through my hair and gets out any tangles.

Carmex- I always put this on my lips before I hit the hay, it keeps my lips moisturized all night.

So there you have it, my night time essentials. What are some of your night time essentials?

Until next time,

Sophie x

Lemon Drizzle Cake

Welcome back everyone,
So yesterday I tried and tested a slimming world recipe for Lemon Drizzle cake I'd seen floating around the internet. I was amazed at how nice and just like the real deal it was by using just a few ingredients. For all you Slimming World followers its only 8 syns for the WHOLE cake, so can be enjoyed without any of the guilt!

Ingredients:
50g self-raising flour
Zest and juice of 2 lemons
5 eggs, separated
28g sweetener, I used honey but any sweetener of your choice will work.

Method:
1. Preheat your oven to 180 degrees and grease and line a loaf tin.
2. Mix the flour and sweetener in a bowl.
3. Zest both of the lemons using a grater and add the zest to the mixture.
4. Squeeze the juice of 1 lemon into the mixture.
5. Separate the egg yolks from the egg whites and set the egg yolks aside. Add the egg yolks to the mixture and stir well to combine.
6. Whisk the egg whites in a separate bowl until they are fluffy and form soft peaks, then fold this into the mixture.
7. Add the mixture to a greased cake tray or loaf tin( both work fine) and bake in the oven at 180 degrees for 20-30 minutes.
8. For the icing: Mix 15g of sweetener with the juice of the other lemon to make a drizzle.
9. Allow the cake to cool a little when out of the oven, then pour the drizzle over the top of the cake and place it back into the oven for another 10 minutes until the top of the cake is nice and glazed.

That's how simple it is, yet it tastes just like the real deal. I would highly recommend trying this recipe out, you won't regret it!

Until next time,

Sophie x

Girl Behind The Blog Tag

Hi everyone, so today I thought I would do 'The Girl Behind The Blog' tag as I had seen gracewithloveblog and Jodi Roche Makeup do it and thought I would do it too. So I hope you all enjoy getting to know the girl behind the blog a bit better.

1. Do you have a middle name?
Yes my middle name is Elizabeth.

2. What was your favorite subject in school?
Home Economics. I loved learning about nutrition and the baking aspect of it and I love baking now.

3. What is your zodiac sign?
Sagittarius.

4. Do you participate in any sports?
Is shopping a sport? Ha ha no I don't but I love walking and try to keep fit as I know the importance of exercise.

5. Favorite book?
The Fault in our Stars, I'm not a big book reader but this is the only book that I actually read from start to finish.

6. Favorite color?
Purple, red and blue.

7. Favorite animal?
Dogs.

8. Favorite perfume?
Fantasy Twist by Britney Spears. The scent is gorgeous.

9. Favorite accessory?
Probably my Pandora bracelet or my pearl earrings from Penneys I wear them everyday.

10. Do you speak any other language?
Nope. I did Irish and French in school but its all gone from me now.

11. Do you have any siblings?
Yep, my brother Ryan.

12. Whats your favorite store?
Probably Penneys as it has mainly everything you need in the one store.

13. Did you like school?
It had its ups and downs, but looking back I suppose it wasn't as bad as I thought at the time.

14. Favorite movie(s)?
Titanic, The Notebook(or any movie by Nicolas Sparks), and Just Go With It.


15. Favorite youtubers?
There are loads I love but off the top of my head, Zoella, Shanxo and The Saccone Jolys.

16. PC or Mac
PC although I would love a Mac.

17. What phone do you have?
Samsung S5.

18. How tall are you?
About 5ft 2 and a half.

19. What do you order at Starbucks?
I don't go to Starbucks much as unfortunately there's no starbucks in my county but when I do go its usually a Carmel Frappé or if its the Christmas season I love a hot chocolate or their Toffee Nut Lateé.

20. Whats one thing most people don't know about you?
That despite my so called 'resting bitch face', I am actually a really nice and thoughtful person.

21. One thing you want to do before you die?
I would love to travel the world and see the different cultures and way of live of different countries, I think it would be an amazing unforgettable experience!

22. What quote/phrase do you live by?
Everything happens for a reason, and This too shall pass, as everything in life is temporary and there is a reason for everything that happens in your life, the good and the bad.

23. What your most listened to song on Itunes?
I don't use Itunes so none, lol

24. What was the last thing you bought?
Revlon Colourstay and carmex, my holy grails were running low so I obvs had to get more.

25. Who do you nominate to do this tag?
Anyone who wants to do this tag :)

June Favourites

Welcome back everyone. I can't believe another month has passed and its now July, time is flying isn't it? It seems like only yesterday I was talking about my may favorites. Not much has changed but I thought I'd share a few products and things I have been loving for the month of June.

1. MUA Heaven and Earth eye shadow palette
I have this palette a while now and have used it on an off. However this month I decided to play around with the colors in this palette a lot more and fell in love with it. I love the colors in this palette. They are very pigmented and last all day on the lid. It is a neutrals palette with gorgeous bronzed shades perfect for creating a day and night time makeup look. I've been loving putting the third shade 'Babylon" all over the lid and into the crease with some mascara everyday for a simple quick eye look.

2. Barry M Blueberry Ice Cream Nail Polish

I've been wearing this nail polish on my nails most of the month of June. Its a sky blue shade, perfect for summer. 2 coats of this polish does the trick and you'll get a few days out of the polish without chipping, which is a winner for me as nail polish usually chips on my nails the second day but this one doesn't. It was also very inexpensive like all Barry M nail polishes and the bottle of it will last you ages.

3. My Fitness Pal

This app has been on my phone ages but I always forgot to use it. Its only in the last few months I been regularly using it to log all my food and any exercise I do. I find it really interesting to see whats actually in the food I am eating and it has definitely made me more mindful of what I eat and choose the healthier option!

4.  Pumpkin seeds and Almonds

As I am trying to be a bit healthier I started adding some seeds and nuts into my diet. I've been loving putting pumpkin seeds in my porridge and having almonds as a snack, they're both full of amazing health benefits, they're good sources of healthy fats and both full of antioxidants.                                         

5. Freeist chocolate

Again as I'm trying to choose healthier options but still have to have chocolate I picked up some Freeist chocolate. They are gluten free and have no added sugar but they still taste amazing and just like 'normal' chocolate without some of the guilt. I love all the flavors but the milk chocolate bar is my fav. 

6. Me before you 

Ever since I seen the trailer for this film I've been wanting to go. A few weeks ago I finally got the chance and went to see it in the cinema. It's a brilliant film, lovely story line, bring tissues with you though it definitely tugs at the heartstrings!

So that's all my favorites for the month of June. Hope you all enjoyed and let me know some of your favorites!

Until next time,

Sophie x

My top 10 drugstore products

Welcome back everyone, I hope you all are having a lovely day! Today I'm going to share my top 10 drugstore beauty products with you all. In my opinion I feel drugstore products are just as good if not better than higher end products. These are products I use everyday, always repurchase and can not live without!

1. Garnier Pure Active Charcoal Scrub
I use this scrub 2-3 times a week to get rid of dead skin cells and deep cleanse my face. I feel this really does the trick and leaves my skin feeling clean and  refreshed. Find it here

2. Revlon Colourstay Foundation
If you have seen my march favorites you will know how much I love this foundation. This is definitely my holy grail foundation. I always find myself going back to it. I have mine in the colour 150 buff for oily combo skin and it really suits my skin and blends in nicely with my skin tone. It has great coverage and lasts all day. It's a bit more on the pricey side for a drugstore foundation but is definitely worth the price. Find it here

3. Real Techniques Miracle complexion sponge
Again I raved about this in my march favorites post but it really is great for blending in any foundation or concealer products. It is the only thing I use to blend in my foundation I don't think I could ever go back to a brush. It blends foundation seamlessly and leaves you with a flawless base. Find it here

4. Catrice Liquid Camouflage concealer
I love this concealer for underneath my eyes and on the arch of my brows, cupids bow and chin area. Its great for covering up those unwanted dark circles and brightening up my face. For how good it is its only priced between 2-3 euros in pharmacies and also Penney's! so definitely pick yourself up one. Find it here

5. Rimmel Stay Matte pressed powder
This is my everyday go to powder I always repurchase. Its cheap and great for mattfying the skin without looking cakey on the skin. I have quite an oily t-zone and find it great for keeping me from getting shiny throughout the day. Find it here

6. MUA Heaven and Earth eye shadow palette
This is my go to eye shadow palette for everyday. It has a great range of different shades of browns. The colors are very pigmented and last all day. It's great for both day and night time eye looks. Find it here

7. Collection Extreme 24Hr Felt Tip Liner Pen
This is a really good eyeliner pen, one of the best I have tried. Its very pigmented, easy to work with and lasts all day. For the price point you really can't go wrong. Find it here

8. Essence Long-lasting Lipstick in 05 cool nude
This is my go to lipstick for everyday. I would describe it as my lips but better! I love the shade its perfect for everyday wear. Its easy to apply, not drying on the lips. It doesn't last all day but you'll get a few hours out of it before you have to top it up. There's 6 shades of nude in the range of lipsticks to choose from so their suitable for everyone.  Find it here

9. Tangle Teezer
I only got this a few months ago but I haven't used a 'normal' hairbrush since! It glides through your hair and gets out any knots without tugging at the hair. It's perfect to use on both wet and dry hair. Its a bit pricey but its definitely worth it, I wouldn't be without it in my life. Find it here

10. Carmex

This is the best lip balm I have tried so far. It's the only thing that keeps my lips moisturized and in good condition. I find my lips still feel moisturized for hours after I apply it. It also has SPF 15 which is great for protecting the lips. Find it here

There you have it my top 10 drugstore products. I hope you all enjoyed this post and let me know your top drugstore products!

Until next time,

Sophie x