REVIEW: KIKOxLOVEGROVE Summer Trend Products

My previous post HERE, was all about KIKO's LOVEGROVE collection talking through each product from the collection, as well as my experience within the KIKO Derby Store.

Today's post will be on my 3 chosen products which are now beautifully placed within my kit ❤️

KIKOxLOVEGROVE Trend Collection Summer 2016

I had an exciting day yesterday, meeting with one of KIKO's Derby Makeup Artist to talk all things makeup on their latest KIKOxLOVEGROVE Summer 2016 Collection.

I met with the lovely Leah, who walked me through the entire collection, from products to tips and received a lovely makeover at the end, to try and feel the products for myself.

Today I will be keeping you up to date with the whole process. Lots of things to learn and tips to take on board!

REVIEW: Bare Minerals - Mineral Veil

I'm sure I've got my point out there about getting GLOWING SKIN for Spring/Summer 2016, all well and good if you have taken my advice and managed to try/buy the recommended products and practice of how I've explained, but not everyone is a 'Glowing skin' lover.
There is a great percentage that love a matte, set look with their skin.
Maybe the reason to this would be people with excessive oily skin - which means you need a skincare consultation from me <3
I do offer this free service to let everyone achieve the perfect normal skin type which is a lot easier to tolerate, which getting your skincare routine is the number 1 thing to do. Message me if you would like me to help and recommend the perfect products specially for you.

Whilst this blog post today will help anyone who does have this issue or just prefers a matte base, or even wants the glowing skin but also needs to control the oil, then carry on reading...

Celebrity Inspired Looks

As you all wanted to see Daily Beauty Essentials on my blog more, I thought what better way to inspire you with classic/recent Celebrity looks to inspire you with you daily makeup.
Whether you're wanting a new look for work which is quick and easy or if you have a big night out or holiday on the cards and you want to experiment with a new look then this post is one to read.

The best one to start with is a classic, simple, fresh day to day look.
Lily Collins at the Vanity Fair Party  - going for statement lashes, groomed brows and a soft rosy red lip.

REVIEW - Body Shop Shade Adjusting Drops

When I saw the ads for these drops, I wished I had thought of this idea first!

Got a draw full of 'graveyard' foundations?

This is just what we all need, we've all brought a foundation which turns out to be too dark or too light. Now heres the modern answer.

You don't need to throw your foundations away, just a drop from these can change a shade magically so that it's matched perfectly with you skin tone.

The main reason I brought both of these shades was for my make-up kit. They will always come in handy when I have that 1 client that may be in the middle of 2 shades. 

Lately I have been trying out these products on myself. To test them for my own knowledge and test them for this review that people may be interested in.

Ok so the story behind one of my foundations is that I started using Loreal True Match in 2N (yes i can be very pale) My first bottle of this was the perfect match to my skin colour last winter. I then used up my first bottle and went to purchase another. I got it in the same shade as I was still happy with it but for some reason I felt that this shade had a more pinky tone compared to my last one. The only thing I thought was that they had changed the formula again or mine was just a dodgy one, so I went to the shop and compared mine to their tester in the same colour. 

They were the same so I'm not sure what happened, I did find a new shade which matched my skin colour better.

But seeing as I have the lightening drops from the Body Shop I decided to test them out with the foundation.

I applied 2 foundation pumps on the back of my hand with 1 drop from the 'Shade Adjusting Drops'. This literally changed the colour to at least 1 shade lighter in an instant.

Now my old foundation is the perfect colour!! Until summer comes - then I can use my darkening drops ;) Its just an amazing circle.

These drops can be used to alter any foundation shade of your choice, you may need to test and play around until you get used to the percentage.

The darkening drops can be used for the same reason, if you have a foundation that is too light.

It would also be great for the summer time. Instead of buying a new foundation when you get a tan, or go on holiday, just add a darkening drop. It could also save you using a bronzer.

Another great tip is to use as a liquid based contour - so using a flat inch brush, draw the lines onto your face of the areas you want to contour, then work in using a stippling brush or beauty blender sponge.

The lighting drops may also be great to mix with your liquid concealer, as I advise people to go one shade lighter with their under eye concealer this would be great to mix in instead of purchasing different shades in the same product.

These drops are a great consistency. Not runny, or extremely creamy/thick, they feel just like an average good coverage foundation would. They didnt change the consistency of my foundation either.

Although with 'Lighter coverage' foundations, they tend to be a thin liquid so the drops did make this feel a slight bit thicker but nothing to put you off the product.

I found that they blended in perfectly well without giving any ashy undertones which I did expect, due to mixing products together.

The way I would recommend to using these drops in your foundation is not to just stop it into the bottle, I would custom you application for each usage. So put the amount of foundation you want to use on the back of your hand, or on a palette. Then add the number of drops you wish to use. Mix together with you finger (not your brush, as it will be applied streaky from where your brush picks up the colour first).

The product description for these products on the Body Shop Website is the following...

You wouldn’t settle for Mr. “Almost right” so why do it with your foundation? Our Shade Adjusting Drops help turn an almost there shade into the perfect one. 

• LIGHTENING DROPS
  If you have light to medium skin you may find your foundation looks too dark or orange. A concentration of white and pink pigments in our Lightening Drops helps neutralise yellowness while lightening. Simply add a drop to lighten light to medium shades.
  • For use with light to medium foundation shades
  • Transform an “almost right” foundation shade into the perfect one 
  • 1 drop = ½ a shade lighter
  • Works with most liquid foundations
  
  DARKENING DROPS
  If you have dark to deep skin you may find your foundation looks too light or ashy. A concentration of black and red pigments in our Darkening Drops helps darken while keeping the natural depth. Simply add a drop to darken dark to deep foundation shades.
  • For use with dark to deep foundation tones
  • Transform an “almost right” foundation shade into the perfect one
  • 1 drop = ½ a shade darker
  • Works with most liquid foundations

I would highly recommend these drops to anyone wanting to alter shade, or when it comes to summer/winter colours and even the tips on contouring and highlighting.
These drops retail at £10 each.

Let me know how you get on if you buy one of these products.

Or if you are considering in buying?

Do you have any tips that you have learnt on the way, when using these drops?

I would love to know.

Love Sophie x

Why Vitamin C is good for your skin

Vitamin C is a popular vitamin most people are aware of, especially in our oranges.

Today I want to explain how important and effective Vitamin C really is, for our skin and bodies.

C - Clarity.

Clarity is the perfect work to go along side Vitamin C. The outline that I want to get across for why this is good for the skin and this corrects any uneve skin/pigmentation with the well researched brightening benefits.

By managing the skins brightening effects this will then correct any pigmentation areas, either caused naturally, sun exposure and even post-acne redness.

Usually most of us have some sort of uneven skin to our faces, which can be an issue when applying a makeup base and getting that flawless effect.

If focusing on your vitamin C either through intake or appearance using products this will give huge benefits to your skin inside and out. So with a month of dedication you will see a difference.

REVIEW - NEW Dior Addict Ultra Gloss

Huge new launches from Dior this month, with there 18 new formulated glosses.

I've always been hit and miss with lip glosses, due to the stickiness and the wind blowing hair stick! I know that's the reason you dislike them too ;) 

But I eventually found my favourites... Guerlain, Nars and of course Dior.
This month Dior brought out their new formulations lip glosses from the previous Dior Addict range.
Now it's Dior Addict Ultra Gloss. Their new make-up  designer Peter Philips has started of great in this brand and also has made lots of new products which will be released this summer. (I can't wait to tell you some of them)

Liquid Bronzers - Summer Trend 2016

Liquid Bronzers will be the product trend of summer 2016. Believe me!

I posted up a guessing snap of a bronze liquid asking what you thought this 'new summer trend' was going to be...

It is of course Liquid Bronzer ❤️

You may have already seen the new launches from the Benefit Hoola range or Nars Laguna range.

They both include Liquid Bronzers, other brands also have their versions of liquid Bronzers too.

But these 2 did it for me! The image benefit are posting around is so striking for summer, and Nars is one brand I love to keep up to date with anyway, as Laguna is one of the best selling Bronzers along with Guerlain Terracotta and Chanel Soiel tan de Chanel.

The Essential Make-up Brushes You Need

Happy 1st April,

Hope you didn't get pranked too many time this morning!
Not only is it blog post day, but as its the 1st, my APRIL EDITION - Make-up Artist Newsletter email gets sent to my lovely subscribers today. WOOOO <3
Lots of hard work gets put in these newsletters through the whole month, so I hope you love!
If you haven't already subscribed, just CLICK HERE

Recently I did a poll on my Twitter
What would you like to see on my blog posts throughout April?
- Product Reviews
- Advice/Tips on Make-up
- Lifestyle (work related)
- Daily Beauty Essentials
50% of the vote went to Daily Beauty Essentials so this week I'm starting off advising you with the Make-up Brushes you NEED.

The brushes I am going to recommend are the ones I use most often when doing my daily make-up and my extras for more dramatic makeup such as a night out.