Mini Rant, Why Blogs Are Better Than Magazines

Hey everyone! 

I guess this is a case of preaching to the converted but before I got into blogging I would flick straight to the beauty pages of magazines. After buying a few more lately (damn you WHSmith in Waterloo station!) whilst waiting for friends I've realised that reading someone's post is so much more satisfying than reading about the newest products in a magazine.

Take for instance this month's Company magazine. I'm not really a Company fan, it's not really aimed at me I guess and the sealed sections drive me MAD. Why anyone would think that you'd have to seal a few pages together about bum surgery is beyond me (if you don't get this reference go and look at the current issue of Company. .Grrr)

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That's all you get. One page. And a few others about new perfumes. But that doesn't satisfy my needs!
I found out aaaages ago about the new Estee Lauder palette mentioned from Charlie and that's what I love about blogging. It's so much easier to read than a magazine, and most of the things you read are genuine, honest opinions on products that there is actually a chance you might consider buying.

It's like having a beauty magazine to read every day of the year and for that I am very thankful :)
Keep up the good work ladies!

What do you think? Have you given up on going to magazines for beauty advice?

Sophie xxx

Loves and Hates of July!

Hey everyone!

Wowee can't believe we're going into August! This year is going by so fast, don't you think? A couple of loves and hates for you, not a very hateful month this time as I'm trying to buy things that will actually work!

Loves

 17 Wild Curls Mascara - £5.99

I got this about a week ago, and I actually quite like it! I like the brush and I find that despite it not being THAT volumising I think it holds the curl, so I may have to add a couple of coats of L'oreal Voluminous on top. Here are my lashes with it with 2 coats. What I do like about this mascara is that it stays black all day. You know how some mascaras, by the end of the day you might as well not put any on in the morning? I hate that, but it's not the case with this.

Marks and Spencers Ladder Resist Cooling Open Toe Tights in Sun Tan - £4

Recently, Grazia did a feature on skin coloured tights so I thought I'd treat myself to a decent pair considering the recent drop in temperature, and how can you resist that sheen? How moisturised does that look? Hoping I can get away with the open toeness with my new sandles! 

Hates

Eyelash Curler as part of gift set with Wild Curls Mascara - £Free

Now I know its free and all, but it took me FOREVER to work out how to use it, and it looks like a weapon of torture. It gave an alright curl when I figured out how to use it (flip down the bit at the back?!) but it was so awkward to use I'm sticking with my Body Shop ones (an ultimate love, see my review here)

Rimmel Glam Eyes Mono Shadow in Spicy Bronze - £4.49

I'm a bit on the fence with this one. The price is a bit high for the quality and when I use it my eyes either look really nice or a bit bruised. It's a shade that needs eyeliner. I wouldn't say I hate it, but I think there are eyeshadows that are much better quality for the same price. On the other hand, the sponge applicator it comes with is actually quite good, it has two different sized ends for different application techniques.

What do you think guys? Got any of these products? What are you loving and hating? Let me know!

Love Sophie xx

Loves And Hates of June

Wow can you believe we're past halfway through the year? Me neither! Anyways, let me introduce you to my first ever Loves and Hates of the month!

Loves

 The Body Shop Body Butter in Passionfruit. I bought this for £4.50 (including Membership Discount) because at the moment selected 200ml Body Butters are only £5 (they're normally £12.50!) This is so delicious and I just want to eat it up

Collection 2000's mineral foundation. This is my first ever mineral foundation and I think for the summer, I'm converted. This is such a lovely formulation and I am a freckled faced girl (and no, I don't like them) and whilst this doesn't cover them it does blur them so I'm left looking like I've been photoshopped, it really does make your face look flawless and glowing. Love it!

Cutting up men's tshirts :) Now I love a baggy tshirt, but they really are pretty much impossible to find. Primark has a few, but they always practically see-through and show your bra and they're always not quite right. Everywhere else just seems to have 'stretch' tshirts. I don't want fabric clinging to me in the middle of Summer! So I bought these two t-shirts from H&M for Men, and cut the neck off. The striped one was £2.99 and the nude behind was £3.99. I wear them off the shoulder and you can't see my bra through them, perfect!

Vintage-style handbags. Now I have quite a few of these and this is my newest addition, which went shopping with me today in Oxford Street :) I bought this off Laura's blog sale and it was a bargain and it has so many pockets!

Mixing lip colours. I've always loved doing this, I think I'm one of those people that can't stop when it comes to make up! This is Gosh Darling mixed with Revlon Colorburst in Coral. A lot of people say they find coral difficult to wear and whilst I think that this coral is very wearable, dabbing it over the top of Gosh Darling (or any other nude) gives you a subtle lip colour that isn't your average pink, yet it still remains not too out there!

Hates

Collection 2000 Hot Looks in Tutti Fruity. Now don't get me wrong I usually love these nail varnishes, but this one is just terrible. The colour is lovely yes, but it chips like nobody's business and it bubbles. Yes, bubbles. I currently have bumpy chipped nails, it really isn't a good look.

These two glosses I have to admit, I got free as at Boots and Superdrug at the moment you get one free when you spend over £4, but I still can't love them. The best thing about them is their names, but apart from that, they last a matter of seconds, they taste disgusting and no matter which one you use they all look the same colour. 

Topshop Liner. You can read my full review of Topshop make up here, and if you've read it already you'll know I hate it. This liner is SO bad it's so difficult to use and the liner is terrible, really thin and yuck. The only thing I use this for is dipped in MAC Fluidline when I can't find my eyeliner brush but apart from that it's no use and I will never buy it again.

Benefit Bad Gal. You can read my Benefit Rant here and my speedy review of this here, I take it back, this liner is not fab and I would never ever buy this. It is a complete waste of money as it just doesn't do what it says it will and it doesn't last on your waterline, or anywhere else for that matter!

Hope you enjoyed reading this, sorry it was quite long, are you loving/hating any of these products?

Sophie xx

Sophie's Experiences With Benefit and MAC

Hi everyone,

I suppose this is going to be a mini rant and I've been wondering for days as to whether I should post this or not as it may be a little controversial. The bottom line is, I hate Benefit make up.

Seriously though, it's MAC every time. I have never had a problem with MAC make up. The colour pay off is nearly always exactly as I expect, the quality is second to none, and the pricing to me seems fair. Sure, 12 quid or so isn't cheap for a lipstick, but they really are investment pieces. I used to use their Studio Sculpt foundation (it's too hot for it now) and despite being a very high coverage, it never broke me out in spots and after 6 months of use there's still enough for next winter. 

What I find with MAC is that what you see is what you get. The packaging is sophisticated and their claims are believable and realistic. And to be fair, when was the last time you saw a review for a MAC product? I don't think I've ever seen one. You get MAC Hauls, sure, but I believe that's a testimony as to how great they are, they don't need to prove themselves, everyone knows that if you buy it with MAC, you're not gonna be disappointed.

For example look at the description of their normal liner

Eye Pencils are formulated to provide rich, consistent colour using ingredients that have virtually no irritancy potential. They are comfortable to apply and sharpen to a fine point to allow for a precise application. Eye Pencils can be used to create a sharp line or a softer, smoky effect. They are long-lasting and won't cake or streak.

There's not a trademark sign in sight and no false promises, and I can honestly say everything they say is true about this product.

But moving on to Benefit. I've always wanted to be a Benefit girl. Benefit girls are pretty, they don't need serious make up, they're fun and they kid themselves that Benefit is just amaaazing. But I can't agree with that. I thought I'd give them a chance, I mean they kindly gave us all free pencils with Glamour this month, but I don't think I could ever pay for a Benefit product. Ever. Here are my reasons, and please feel free to disagree with me, I want to know your opinions, and if you like try and convince me they're fab.

•  They're expensive. To me, £14 for a poor quality eyeliner (more about this later) is disgusting. And I don't like their obsession with adding that 50p on most of their products
• You're paying for the packaging, which don't get me wrong is lovely, the names are great, but the quality. . 
• Oh dear the quality. If there ever was a company who's products did almost the opposite they were meant to that's Benefit. Bad Gal liner promises to be 'Dark, Smoky and Mysterious'. Who are they trying to kid? If they mean a terrible grey shade when they say dark, annoyingly smudgy in an im gonna end up on your cheeks by the end of the day kind of way when they say smoky and a 'woah that sure is some straaange eyeliner that girl's got on' when they say mysterious then they've got it spot on. And don't get me started on Bad Gal mascara. Disappointment in a tube.
• The Benebabes. Ok I know there are some right nasties out on those MAC stands, but Benefit takes the biscuit. Never before had a woman made me feel so out of place, so awkward and so intimidated until I went to a Benefit stand. I'm sure there are some lovely Benebabes out there, but I've yet to meet one. I once had my make up done by them. Never again. I don't know how anyone could mistake me for a dark orange when I've been known to purchase NC15 at MAC.

 

 All in all, the products in general just really don't appeal to me. They have no lasting power whatsoever, they're ridiculously overpriced and as kitsch as their products are (did you know Benetint was developed to go on strippers nipples?!), I will always always be a MAC girl at heart.

Love Sophie

xx

PS Are you a Benefit Gal or a MAC Lady?