2016.

What a bloody year mind! I feel I say this at the end of every year, but 2016 in particular just seemed to be an absolute shit storm didn't it?! Im always one to constantly reflect and look back on the bad things that have happened over the year, but today I'm going to list the good things that have happened this year. Hopefully I'll look back on this at the end of 2017 and realise things aren't always as bad as they seem!

I became more confident with my blog - this time last year id completely fallen out of love with blogging, but this year in particular I've watched it grow, fallen in love with taking photos and sharing them, it's very satisfying when you publish something you've worked so hard on.

My Granddad passed away - trying not to focus on this too much, as obviously this can never be a positive. However, it's brought our family much closer together, we're doing things together more, having family gatherings more, and that can only be a good thing. I love them a lot. 

I moved house - something I found really super difficult this year, but did it and feel much better for it. We live in a lovely place now, and it's made a big difference. 

I opened up more - a weird one, but I say how I feel a lot more, if I don't like how I'm being treated, I say it. I guess you could say I've got a back bone now, and there are a few people surprised by this, mainly the people who treated me like shit. But once i'd stop caring, I felt much better. I need to keep going with this one, it's made me much more relaxed and less anxious. 

I went to bloody Mexico! - I actually did it, little old me that only goes to Spain or at most a 4 hour plane journey, hopped on a plane with just her boyfriend and did a 9 hour journey, it was the best holiday of my life. 

I was more independent - a silly one, but I was never able to go anywhere on my own. Even to Tesco, i'd have to take someone with me because I was so anxious. This year id travelled to so many different places to go shopping on my own, I even went to get my nails done on my own, and this was a huuuuuge deal to me! 

Exciting future - and finally, something that I've got to keep hush hush for a good while until it happens, but there are so many exciting things happening in 2017, that Ive been planning for and organising in 2016, so watch this space, I can't say much, but it's mental!!

xox

3 Of My Favourite Lush Products

Lush Cosmetics has always been my all time favourite brand for bath products. Id always been a bath bomb kind of person, however this year I've started branching out to the body conditioners and lip scrubs, both of which were new to me this year. 

The christmas collection especially didn't let me down this year, I think I own basically everything Lush came out with this year, beside the soaps. I'm still praying that one day I'll get to go to the Lush factory, that would literally be a dream haha!

Ive loved 3 products in particular this month, the Snow Fairy body conditioner, the Sugar Plum Fairy lip scrub, and the Butter Bear bath bomb. 

Ive tried one of the original Sugar Scrubs before, the bubblegum one I think, and I absolutely hated it! I think it was because it tastes like artificial bubblegum? Im not sure, but I really wasn't a fan. So ever since I've never even considered trying another flavour, that was until I smelled this one. It smells, insane. It has the exact same scent as the comforter, which is a favourite of mine. & it tastes even better, kinda like blackcurrant. It's not become one of my favourite Lush products, but unfortunately only comes out at Christmas time, so it's a good job I've stocked up on this little beaut!

Again, weirdly, Snow Fairy has never been a scent I've particularly liked. I find it way too sickly, and just can't really stomach much of it. Id heard a lot about Lush's body conditioner, but never tried them because I don't like doing anything that takes extra effort, how lazy haha. But id never realised that you use this whilst in the bath/shower, you rub it into your skin, rinse it off and your skin will literally feel amazing. I hate getting out of the shower and popping a moisturiser on, having to wait ages for it to sink in. You don't have to do any of that with this, I absolutely love it and I'm so glad I tried it out! It is Snow Fairy scented, but it isn't as strong as the shower gel, which I much prefer!

& Finally, my beloved Butter Bear, throughout the year known as Butterball. Although it's smaller than your average bath bomb, and not as colourful, it's packed full of coco butter, which makes your skin so bloody soft. You can only imagine how my skin feels after using Butter Bear & the Body Butter together, it's incredible. 

I don't think i'll ever get enough of Lush, it's my absolute favourite!

Lotsa love,

Sophxo

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My HUGE Lush Cosmetics gift set

If you're a Lush Cosmetics obsessive like me then you have arrived at the perfect place. For Christmas this year I didn't actually ask for anything - but my family know I am obsessed with Lush products, so I received lots of individual bath bombs, and this HUGE gift set from the boyf (Matt) which is full of Lush products, 18 to be exact. 18?!

He quite clearly knows me very very well as I don't really have the words to express how massive this gift is haha. He bought me the Pretty Woman gift set, I would link it for you- however as I write this theres a humungous que on the Lush website, and because of that I'm clueless as to how much this cost, or if it's in the sale today, sorry about that! 

Where to even start..

Snow Angel bath melt, Candy Mountain bubble bar

Mistletoe bath bomb, Salt and Peppermint Bark body scrub

So White bath bomb, Yog Log Roulade shower smoothie

Reindeer Rock soap

Twilight shower gel, Mr Sandman dusting powder

Snow Fairy body conditioner, Snow Fairy shower gel, Santa Baby lip scrub

Pink Flamingo reusable bubble bar, Shooting Stars soap (this smells insane!!)

Sex Bomb bath bomb, Honey Trap lip balm

Godiva shampoo bar, King of Skin body butter

Oh and finally, this is my collection after opening all of my presents this christmas.. 

How insane is this gift set?! I love absolutely everything in it, and I'm so grateful to Matt for getting me something he knew I would love, he knows me better than I know myself it would seem!

I hope you've all had the most amazing Christmas, 

Lotsa Love,

Sophxo

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MAC Mariah Carey | Mcizzle

HUGE heart eyes over this, how bloody beautiful is the Mac & Mariah combination?! So, so glad I ordered this because if I hadn't, I would've been gutted!

Id spotted around social media that Mac was coming out with a special limited edition collection - from Mariah. I had a little browse on their website and I absolutely fell in love with what I saw. Now I won't lie, the packaging is what enticed me in haha, but how could you not be really? It's covered in glitter sparkles with a gold accents. Even the box the lipstick came in is beautiful in itself?! 

It took me a while to choose the colour I wanted, at the time not many people had posted about the collection so all I had to go by were the photos on the website. I was toying between Dahhlinggg, described as a pinky peach, and Mcizzle, described as a cool peach. 

I went with Mcizzle in the end, and I have to say the description of it couldn't be any more wrong, but that might be because it looks different when it's applied - I've not yet brought myself to the point where I ruin the pretty little butterfly on the lipstick itself haha. But in the tube it really reminds me of creme cup, I don't know about you. 

Im genuinely struggling to find anything I don't like about this lipstick, I love the colour, and the packaging is gorgeous. It will definitely be one to stand on display on my dressing table!

What do you think?

Have you tried anything from the Mariah collection?

Lotsa love,

Sophxo

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