Product Review - Bourjois Paris Dissolvant Miraculeux

So I've seen a fair few reviews on this on various blogs now, and have bee desperate to give it a try, so when I spotted it in Superdrug this morning I couldn't resist. Basically, it's just a sponge in the tub, which is soaked in the dissolvant, with a small hole in the middle to pop your finger in to remove the nail polish. It's acetone free, which is brilliant news for my nails anyway and has 'nourishing sweet almond oil' and 'red fruit and vanilla fragrances' which is a huge plus as I was hoping it would eradicate the horrible smell of normal remover. I'll be honest, if you have a sniff inside the pot, it is quite potent and smells similar to a normal remover, but once it's taken off your polish it leaves a really nice scent on my fingertips, which definitely replicated the smell that is stated on the tub. My nails also feel really smooth and nourished aswell! It's just £4.99 a tub, which I think is really cheap as a decent remover can be almost this much, and for such a gorgeous smell aswell! It's also included in Superdrug's 3for2 cosmetics offer that they have on at the moment, so I could get a couple of other bits aswell for hardly anything. 

As I use so many different shades of varnish, from pastels to deeper shades, I thought I'd try this product out on 5 different styles that I often use.

From L-R; NYC New York Color in 105 - Lights-Camera-Glitter over Barry M in 306 - Blueberry Ice Cream. I use glitter a lot more lately, and it's always a pain to get off, especially with cotton wool, so I thought I'd give Bourjois a real challenge. Next is Barry M in 304 - Mint Green. I tried out this one as it takes three coats to get the matt look that I like, so the dissolvant had to battle through three layers. Then Barry M in 273 - Raspberry, because red is such a stubborn colour to remove. Then we have 2true Fast Dry Colour Quick Nail Polish in Shade 10 as it's such a deep navy shade, which can again take some time to remove. And finally, Barry M in 142 - Silver Glitter over Barry M 47 Black as It's a finer glitter and again a pain in the bum to remove. All of these are shown below, but in the reverse order to what I've just stated. 

Basically, it's meant to remove the paint in 1 second, by popping your finger in, then simply twisting and removing. Unfortunately, my picture of the results from this won't load, but basically, it had little effects on the glitters, but it did take off the majority of the mint green and the raspberry, but wasn't quite as effective on the navy. 

Due to this, I repeated the process, but twisted my fingertips a couple more times, and these are the final results: 

As you can see, it has got rid of 99% of all the nail paint! I will say that it doesn't quite get off the paint that is stubborn around your cuticles, but I'm still really impressed with the result, I just used a cotton bud to get rid of the excess. This process is so much quicker, less messy and much nicer smelling than the conventional cotton wool method, and the fact that it's worked on some of my most stubborn colours without me having to scrub at them is a complete bonus! 

I genuinely reccomend this to anyone who is forever repainting their nails - a definite 10/10! 

Endless Nights Vest - Outfit Post.

I also mentioned a vest in my latest purchases post from H&M, and have again managed to team it up with some older items from my wardrobe. 

 The vest has navy lettering on, and here I've teamed it up with a pair of navy cropped jeans I bought in the Dorothy Perkins sale last summer for just £7. I rarely wear them, but I really like how they look with this vest. It has a racer-back, which isn't something I normally go for as you can't wear a proper bra with it, but I'm just going to have to invest in a proper strapless bra as I like so many tops like this on the highstreet now, and I have so many vests with thin straps that I avoid wearing because I can't stand wearing them with bra straps showing. I bought this again, mainly because of the warmer weather we've had this week as it's not tight fitting under the arms and is really loose and flowing. I haven't accessorised with this outfit, but I'd just wear some white sandals with it (which can be seen in a previous post) and possibly a tan belt and sunglasses so I can throw in a tan bag aswell! 

Maxi Skirt - Styling Options.

From my previous post, you will see that I purchased this beauty today in Primark for £14

It's obviously a bit too long for me, because I'm so abnormally short, but it'll only take a few minutes to run it through the sewing machine. It originally came with a tan belt, which isn't shown in this picture, but goes really nice with the skirt. I wasn't really intending to keep it when I bought it, I was on my own again with no second opinion, and ended up buying to see what you guys thought, but after trying it on again when I got home, I know I'll end up keeping it. I couldn't decide if I thought it looked too flared, but this means it won't be too clingy in the warm weather. So I thought I'd show a couple of styling options that I've put together which make the skirt wearable all year round. 

This look is very much influenced from this weeks gorgeous weather! I've just teamed it up with a navy vest-top, which couldn't get much simpler, but I'm now on the look out for a navy bandeau top to team it up with aswell! Not only is this just as simple (and cheap!) but it can make it look like a maxi dress too!

I've also swapped the belt that came with it for these two that I bought a while back (again from Primark)

They were both literally made for this skirt, and I think they were just £1 each when I bought them! I'm wearing the navy one here as it goes over one of the cream stripes, but the cream will go just as well! 

This look is much more Autumny, which I love as it means I can wear the skirt all year round, unlike a lot of maxi dresses! The top is from Topshop a few years back, and I very rarely wear it, but this is the perfect excuse to work it back into my wardrobe again. I'd possibly wear a vest underneath as it's cropped, and quite thin, but this will be nice in the cooler weather. I've again teamed it with the navy belt from above. I love this look more than I thought I would, but the fact that the colours are quite muted means the whole look isn't just restricted to the warmer summer months. 

new purchases again; what is my life!?

I've been shopping (again) today, so here's a little look. I'm also going to post two outfit posts from the clothes aswell after this :) 

Navy & Cream Maxi Skirt, Primark - £14. I saw this in Leicester whilst still at uni, but couldn't find my size, but Essex once again came to my rescue!

Vest, H&M - £7.99. I haven't bought this in yellow, but in white with navy lettering, but I can't find a picture online anywhere! 

Sandals, Primark - Were £4, now reduced to £2.90!!! If anyone saw a previous purchases post, you will know I wanted these for a while, but couldn't get them in Leicester. And now they're reduced! Happy Sophie. 

Underwear, Topshop - £3.60 with NUS discount, £4 without. They were too pretty to not get them. 

Underwear, H&M - £1, were £5.99. Too much of a bargain to leave behind. And they're seamless, which is a plus with some of the maxi skirts and dresses I have being such a clingy material. 

More celebrity dress lust

And this time it's Cheryl Cole. This is from the premiere of 'What To Expect When You're Expecting', I have no idea who the designer is, but i'm sure it cost extortionate amounts. Personally, I would raise the waistline to make the skirt a lot more free-flowing, but I still love it as it is. The fact that the colours are so neutral leaves it to be dressed up in a variety of ways, but I love that she's stuck to a creamy colour palette here with gold accessories.

Demi Lovato - US X Factor Auditions

I can't quite get over these pictures of Demi! She just looks beautiful! I love that she's gone for quite a bold, almost neon,colour choice, but picked out the black accent and used that to accessorise. I'm a huge fan of a leather jacket so this is the kind of styling I would personally wear. Her hair looks so effortless, yet stunning at the same time, and the deep, smoky, eye make-up really compliments her whole outfit. 

10/10!

More New Purchases (Kill me, I'm a fashion student)

After getting sent home from work after only an hour and twenty minutes today, I decided to hit H&M to make the trek to town in the heat worthwhile. I go through phases with H&M, sometimes I absolutely love it, and other times I think it can be the worst store on the high street. But I have eyed up these tops the last few times I've walked past, and at just £7.99 each, I couldn't resist.

I initially just tried on the pink and the green. I'm not normally one for wearing bright, bold colours, but these shades are just irresistable, so there was no excuse for my wardrobe to stay as dull as it is. They both look great with jeans, but I also want to wear them with maxi skirts. I have one from River Island with floral detailing around the hem, so either of these will pick out hints of colour from that design. The black I had to get as a staple item! I was intending to take back either the green or the pink (I bought both because I was by myself and had no second opinion!) but after getting home and trying them on again, I know I'll end up keeping both! They're a silky kind of material, which I'm always wary of catching, but these are really smooth and almost crepe-like, so I should be okay! They have adjustable straps aswell, so I might get some patterned bandeaus in similar colours to wear underneath as another way of wearing them. 

I'll do another post when I get round to styling them with something a little more exciting than jeans, but for now... have some boring jeans shots (and excuse my face!)

Todays purchases

So today, I once again spent a little bit more money than I should have, and I thought I'd share some of the goodies with you.

I absolutely love the Barry M Nail Paint collection, and i'm steadily building up a good selection. Team this up with Superdrug's current 3 for 2 on cosmetics offer, and I was well away. I want to start adding more summery shades so opted for these three:

NYC Expert Last Nail Polish in 105  'Lights-Camera-Glitter', Barry M Nail Paint in 306 'Blueberry' and Barry M Nail Paint in 304 'Mint Green'

I apologise for the awful quality, but I've done these really quickly before bed so I can post this. The Mint Green took three layers to build up a matt effect that I was satisfied with, but I love the final result - it's such a fresh, summery shade. The Blueberry has really good coverage - i used two coats, but one was sufficient, and again, I love the shade - Barry M haven't let me down! These photos really don't do the NYC shade much justice, but it is really nice on! It has smaller iridescent sparkles, and bigger ones in navy and lilac, which really catch the light and look lovely over the blue! I also have a light lilac from Barry M that this will work with. I highly reccomend all three! Barry M ones are just £2.99, and the NYC was £2.49, so on 3 for 2, they come to just £5.98. I was sneaky and had £1 worth of points on my store card AND student discount, so it cost me just over £4 - BARGAIN!

I am a sandal fanatic, and I bought this style (£4 Primark) in a nude shade a couple of months back, and couldn't resist another pair. I did want some black ones, but they didn't have my size, but all three colours that I have/will get are such staple colours that you can't go wrong. 

This necklace is also Primark, £4. I've wanted a choker style one for a while now, as I wear so many collared shirts and needed something to style them up with, so this was an absolute steal! I have so many gold rings too that will match it. 

I also bought the most adorable bracelet from Topshop that I didn't take a picture of because I was going to steal it from their website, but they don't have it listed! It's all pearls, with a gold skull bead in the centre, so will work with all my existing gold jewellery. 

2012 Billboard Awards - Best Dressed

So I have some serious dress lust from last nights Billboard Music Awards...

1) Taylor Swift.

I'm not usually much of a Taylor Swift fan, but she looks stunning here. She looks so much better with straight hair! And the dress... seriously, wow.

2) Jordin Sparks

It's the leather. I just love it. 

3) Carly Rae Jepsen

Ignore the bad fake-tanning on her hands, and this dress is beautiful. It's so simple, but elegant, 

4) Miley Cyrus.

It's not the dress I love as such, but the way she has the confidence to wear it! I couldn't ever wear something like this, but she really pulls it off!

5) Natasha Bedingfield

I haven't seen/heard much about her for a while, but stepping out in this beauty is sure to get her back on the fashion radar!

6) Usher

Clearly not dress lust or envy, but the whole styling of this outfit is spot on. The suit is such a bold choice, that the neutral pieces put with it really makes it work. 

7) Eric Benet

The colour splashes here are done really well! 

So I'm back at uni for a couple of weeks, so expect a few blog posts to kill the time!

Makeup

1.Blusher or Bronzer? Blusher, I'm too pale for bronzer. I just use a cheap Natural Collection shade. <br>

 2.Lipgloss or Lipstick? I like both, it depends on the occasion. Lipstick is definitely a winner for lengthy colour, and I never used to like it until recently. I don't really like lipgloss unless it has a good colour to it - matt ones are good!

3.Eyeliner or Mascara? Mascara. I've recently found one that works wonders, but I need them to bring it out in waterproof. 

4.Foundation or Concealer? Foundation. I don't use concealer. 

5.Neural or Coloured Eye shadows? Neutral, I'm not one for eyeshadow at all.

6.Pressed or Loose Eye shadows? Pressed, they're easier to build up colour with, and a lot less messy!

7.Brushes or Sponges? Brushes. 

Nails
8.Long or Short? Long, they look better. 

9. Acrylics or Naturals? Natural, I couldn't afford to keep up acrylic. 

10.Brights or Darks? Neither really, I don't use any daring colours, or go for brights, I stick to neutral shades, although my favourite is Barry M's Raspberry.

11.Flower or No Flower? No flower, they'd just fall off. 

Body
12.Perfume or Body Spray? Perfume! I'm waiting patiently for Marc Jacobs new fragrance as it has vanilla and coconut scents in it. But I use Daisy at the moment. 

13.Lotion or Body Butter? Body butter.  It smells SO much better, especially the Body Shop's coconut scent. 

14.Body Wash or Soap? Body wash. Soaps too much of a hassle. 

Fashion 

15.Jeans or Joggers? I've recently bought the comfiest pair of jeans which I have lived in ever since, so I'm going to have to say jeans. 

16.Long Sleeve or Short? Short, I hate the feeling of anything tight under my arms. 

17.Dresses or Skirts? Dresses. I don't really own skirts, although my maxi skirt collection is slowly growing. 

18.Stripes or Plaid? Stripes. Vertical ones.

19.Flip flops or Sandals? Sandals, there's so much more choice than flip flops.

20.Scarves or Hats? Scarves. The easiest way to accessorise. 

21.Studs or Dangly Earrings? Studs. I don't suit anything else. 

22.Necklaces or Bracelets? Bracelets. But I do like a good statement necklace. 

23.Heels or Flats? Heels will always make a girl happy. 

24.Cowboy Boots or Riding Boots? Riding Boots, cowboy boots had their chance a long, log time ago. 

25.Jacket or Hoodie? Hoodies. But I am in love with my leather jacket. 

Hair 

26.Curly or Straight? Curly. I'm lucky and my hair has a pretty good natural curl to it, which makes it so much easier to handle and maintain. 

27.Bun or Ponytail? Bun. I don't suit ponytails because I have no volume in my hair.

28.Bobby pins or Butterfly clips? Bobby pins. 

29.Hairspray or Gel? I occasionally use hairspray. 

30.Long or Short? Long. I don't think I could ever go short, even though a few people have reccomended it. 

31.Light or Dark? Dark. Blonde never again.

32.Side Sweep bangs or Full bangs? Full. I'm always tempted. 

33.Up or Down? Up, I don't have the effort or time to do anything to it for it to be down all the time. 

Random

34.Rain or Shine? Shine. Get me summer. 

35.Summer or Winter? Summer. That's a stupid question. 

36.Autumn or Spring? Autumn, because you get the occasional warm day. 

37.Chocolate or Vanilla? Vanilla. In a latte...

15 Weird Facts 
38.What's a nickname only your family calls you? Sophie-Lou.

39.What's a weird habit of yours? I don't know as though I have any?

40.Do you have any weird phobias? I'm not scared of anything odd.
41.What's a song you secretly love to blast and belt out when you're alone? Gotta Be You. It cannot be sung in a normal manner.
42.What's one of your biggest pet peeves? THE DIRTY KITCHEN IN THIS GOD DAMN FLAT. dirty bitches. 

43.What's one of your nervous habits? I cannot keep eye contact. I make myself look guilty even if i'm not. 

44.What side of the bed do you sleep on? My poor single bed has no side :(

45.What was your first stuffed animal and its name? It was a white bear, I don't think he had a name. 

46.What's the drink you always order at Starbucks? I haven't been to Starbucks in forever. Give me Costa anyday. 

47.What's the beauty rule you preach, but never actually practise? Use primer.

48.Which way do you face in the shower? Face it when I'm washing, other way when I'm washing my hair. 

49.Do you have any weird body skills? I can roll my tongue? I thought this was pretty special? And I can touch my head with my toes. 

50.What's your favourite comfort food that's 'bad', but you love to eat it anyway?

Crisps. Crisps. Crisps.

51.What's a phrase or exclamation you always say? 'oh my' 

52.Time to sleep - what are you actually wearing? Normally long bottoms and a vest. 

So, I know this is not fashion related in the slightest, but I am having just a slight fangirl moment here. If you haven't read my introduction post, then you won't know that I have just a slight obsession with these boys. And I work at build a bear. Put the two together and note that it's not at the store i work at, then you will get my slight breakdown that is happening right now.

i'd just like to take the time for us all to appreciate how beautiful demi looks here. and how much i want her dress.