The Body Shop || Sweet Lemon Body Butter

When it comes to The Body Shop the first products that immediately come to mind are their ever so indulgent body butters. As a lot of you know I am a massive fan of body butters and it's one of my most favourite parts of my whole get ready/pamper me routine. Since coming back off holiday I have been applying all sorts of lotions, potions and yummy treats, not only to hydrate my skin but to also prolong my tan as long as possible. Since coming back to the UK I've found that my skin has been ever so dry and as as a result of using so much moisturiser I found myself running low and needed to re-stock asap.

Conveniently I happened to be passing the Body Shop whilst on my lunch break the other day and noticed that they had their summer sale on and as soon as I walked though the door, I saw a selection of body butters on sale, reduced to £5.00 from there £13.00 price tag - Bargain or what? After doing the much important smell test on all the body butters on offer, I decided to go with the sweet lemon scented one. I'm a huge fan of citrus scented things and the lemon fragrance of this lemon body butter is just amazing. It's not too overpowering in its citrus smell and it does have a sweetness to it which makes it smell like a lemon dessert. What I really love about the Body Shop body butters is how your chosen scent will linger on your body hours after application and this one makes you smell all lemony and zesty - A perfect scent for this time of year and refreshing too.

The formula of these body butters are simply amazing and this sweet lemon one is right up there with my other favourite body butters from the Body Shop - The coconut and cocoa butter one. The formula is rich, creamy and thick and has a very buttery like texture to it. The body butter glides onto your skin like a dream, distributes evenly and a little of this stuff really does go a long way. As soon as I apply, my skin feels instantly hydrated as the body butter skins into your skin pretty quickly. As this body is so rich, I can find it takes a little while longer than other body butters to completely dry and it can leave you feel a little sticky afterwards - but personally I don't mind this at all. 

I've always been a fan of these body butters from the Body Shop and its been forever since I've had one taking pride of place on my beauty shelf, but I'm ever so pleased that I finally have a little tub again as these really are like little pots of heaven for your skin. The Body Shop have a wide range of scents and different types of body butters to offer, but this sweet lemon one is brilliant and I can't quite believe its on sale for such a fabulous price - I can't recommend it enough. If your wanting to try it out you can treat yourself to it using this link.

Have you tried any of the Body Shop Body Butters? What's your favourite?

Lots of Love

Monthly Favourites || June

Wow summer has finally arrived in the UK and what a beautiful weekend it is indeed! I hope all of you are having a fantastic weekend and enjoying this glorious sun - I've been cooling down by scoffing my face with fab ice lollies all day (yes I've had three) as they are my fave and I just love the sprinkles that you get on top. I thought I'd get my monthly favourites post up for you all today. As I was away for two weeks of June I don't have many new favourites this month as I've been using beauty products that I use everyday without thinking - But I do have a few new gems to talk about, ones that I've been loving throughout June.

Rimmel Scandal Eyes Lycra Flex Mascara 

I bought this new line of mascara from Rimmel just before I went away on holiday, without doing any thorough research on it. Once I got it home I had a browse though some beauty blogs and read a lot of mixed reviews about this mascara. I have to say I'm part of the half of you out there that think this mascara is pretty good! It's not the best I've ever tried, but for the price I can't complain at all especially seeing as I got it whilst it was on offer. I love how chunky the bristle wand is and I'm always left with long and volumised lashes with only applying one coat of this. What really makes this mascara stand out is that it makes your lashes feel ever so soft and flexible which makes it perfect if you wanted to add more product to your lashes later on in the day - No fear of clumps ladies whatsoever! I also adore the bright neon packaging. 

Hawaiian Tropic After Sun Body Butter - Lime Coolada 

If you've been reading my blog for a little while then you will have heard me rave about how much I am in love with this body butter from Hawaiian Tropic. Not only does it smell incredible with its refreshing zesty scent, it works wonders at hydrating your skin. I bought two tubs of this a little while ago and have managed to get though most of it. I used this religiously on holiday as it did an amazing job and cooling my skin down after a hard days sunbathing. I'm a little sad that I've nearly run out of the stuff. If you would like to read my full review of this body butter you can find it here. 

Sleek Makeup Blush - Rose Gold 

This was another pre-holiday purchase, other than lipsticks and nail polishes, blusher seams to be a beauty weakness of mine and I own far too many of them. I had been wanting to try this Sleek Bush in Rose Gold for the longest of time, just because I had heard that it was an amazing dupe for Nars Orgasm. Unfortunately I can't compare for you and say whether it is or not as I've never tried any blusher from Nars - But what I can say is that this blush from Sleek is just stunningly beautiful and looks amazing on. This is the perfect blush for summer. Rose Gold is a peachy/pink blush with gold shimmer running though it, which really highlights your cheeks and gives you a gorgeous glow. I hardly wore any makeup on holiday, but when I did I would apply this on my cheeks for that perfect sun kissed look. 

Benefit Brow Zings

Oh my gosh guys, I finally took the plunge and treated myself to Benefit's Brow Zings. After hearing nothing but good things about this eyebrow shaping kit, it was high up there on my beauty wishlist - The only thing putting me off was its expensive price tag of £23.50, but lucky for me I had somehow manage to save up enough Boots points and this didn't cost me a penny (what does that say about my spending habits in Boots eh?). I'm not going to say too much about this wonderful product as I'm planning on doing a full review of it soon  - But now I have it, I can say honestly say I'll never look back as it just gives you beautiful brows :). 

Victoria's Secret Amber Romance Fragrance Mist

When I arrived at the airport I was already super excited to be get setting away to sunnier climates - But I actually squealed and jumped for joy a little when I saw a small Victoria's Secret shop there in the departure lounge. For the longest time I have been wanting to try something or anything from Victoria's Secret, so I just had to treat myself. I picked up a few bits which I'll be posting about for you all soon but this month I have been loving their fragrance mist in the scent Amber Romance, which is a gorgeous sweet vanilla scent. I've been spritzing this non stop and I absolutely love it. 

So that's it for my favourites this month, I would love to know what products you've been loving recently.

Lots of Love

OOTD || Karma Clothing Sleeveless Front Twist Poly Knot Dress

Karma Clothing Sleeveless Front Twist Polly Knot Dress*|| £11.99

I don't know about you, but as soon as Summer arrives I seam to ditch most items in my wardrobe, make most of the season and opt to wear pretty dresses at every opportunity. Recently I've added another dress to my collection and it's this gorgeous turquoise cut-out body-con dress from online retailer Karma Clothing. 

For the longest of time, I have been searching for the perfect dress with just the right amount of cut-out detailing and this sleeveless front twist poly knot dress from Karma Clothing is perfect. I think it shows just the right amount of skin and in the right places. I've always stayed well clear of those dresses that have the cut-out detailing right across your stomach as I can't imagine that to be flattering at all, especially when your sat down. But this pretty turquoise dress has it's triangular cut outs just a little above your waist line and starts just where your ribs end. I love this look as instead of a belt to sinche you in at the waist, you have cute little cut-out bits instead- This really makes the dress stand out and takes it from being ordinary to that extra bit special. 

Apart from the style of the dress, which I love, I am also in love with its beautifully bright turquoise colour as it just screams out summer and I love injecting a pop of colour into my wardrobe. I don't know why, but I am so drawn to this colour right now - Usually in the summer I go for pretty corals. But if you were to take a peek in my wardrobe right now you would see all sorts of aquas and greens jumping out at you! 

For this outfit post I've decided to dress this dress up, pairing it with a pair of baby pink and neon heels from River Island and I love how the colour contrasts so well with the turquoise. I've also added a statement necklace to the outfit just because I think it adds nicely to the overall look. I personally think this dress looks fab for a dressy occasion and one that will be perfect for this time of year. However you could easily style this down for daytime wear in the summer - I'm thinking a gorgeous pair of sandals, a floral crown and big messy hair. 

Another love about this dress, and I'm sure that this is one you will all agree on is the price of this dress - You can pick one up from the Karma Clothing website for only £11.99 (here), what a bargain!! If turquoise is not your colour, Karma Clothing also sell the dress in black and white; I think the white one would just look gorgeous with a tan and would be a great way to keep up with this seasons white trend - I may just have to pick one up. Karma Clothing also have so many other amazing pieces to offer on their website, which keep within all the seasons trends at fabulous prices - Great for those who are on a budget or looking for a cheeky treat whilst on your spending ban. To have a look just click on the link below.

Karma Clothing

What do you think of this dress? Do you have a favourite colour for your summer wardrobe right now? Let me know in the comments below.

Lot's of Love

Deborah Milano Shine Creator Lipstick || Review

Deborah Milano Shine Creator Lipstick * | | £8.50

The week before I left for my holiday, I was very kindly given the opportunity to be sent a lipstick from top Italian makeup brand Deborah Milano for review. Word about this makeup brand is becoming quite the name around the beauty community and all for good reason. Before receiving this Deborah Milano Lipstick, I already had knowledge of the brand, and have to say I was really excited to try out one of the products and see what all the hyped up fuss was about. 

I was kindly sent the Deborah Milano Shine Creator Lipstick in the shade 8, which is a gorgeous bright fuchsia pink which gives a lovely pink flush to your lips. Like most makeup brands Deborah Milano have a range of different lipsticks in their line which all give different finishes. The Shine Creator line is a collection of lipsticks which give you plenty of hydration, a pop of colour all with the high shine of a lip gloss. I personally love these kind of formula's of lipstick, so the Shine Creator Lipstick is right up my street.  Here's what Deborah Milano have to say about their Shine Creator Lipstick -

The High Shine Creator Lipstick brings together three proven properties: the shine of a lip gloss, the comfort of a lipstick, and the hydration and protection of a lip balm. 

When applied the lipstick feels ever so creamy and light on your lips and I love how for such a creamy formula, these are in no way sticky to the touch or feel sticky on your lips. Instantly your lips feel much more hydrated, a similar feeling of applying a good lip balm. The formula has a glossy shine that a good lip gloss would provide, but it has much more of a lipstick feel to it. If I had to compare this to another lip product, the Revlon Lip Butters immediately come to mind. In the bullet the colour of shade 8 looks vibrant and bright, however once applied you are left with a more sheer finish and it leaves a lovely flush of pink to your lips and if your like me and like more of a vibrant lip, then two coats of this product is a must to get that more 'pink' look. Because of the moisturising formula of this lipstick, staying power and longlivetiy is not going to be hours upon hours, but I do find that you can get a good few hours of wear from this lipstick before needing to reapply. Even when it does start to fade, I've found that your left with a faded wash of colour to your lips, which still sits evenly.

I absolutely love the way that this lipstick looks on, and one thing that I notice right away, even before application, is its gorgeous scent. I'm not the best at describing scents, but as soon as I smell it, I get a whiff of sweet smelling berries. It reminds me of something I would smell on a dessert and if it wasn't for the fact I knew this was a lipstick, I might say it was edible! As well as this lipstick smelling just delightful, I'm also impressed with its packaging. Deborah Milano have in-cased this lipstick in a pink sheer packaging, which I think is pretty and a good reflection of the product inside. I love how the logo of Deborah Milano has been embossed on top of the lipstick, which is a really nice touch. 

Overall I'm really impressed with this lipstick and I can see me getting a lot of use out of this over the summer months, especially seeing as the lipstick has SPF 15. The Shine Creator Lipstick retails at £8.50 which is around the average price for a good lipstick these days. I personally think it's worth every penny and I can definitely see myself adding a few more of these to my lipstick collection. If you fancy treating yourself to one of these lipsticks you can find them on the Deborah Milano website here - There is quite a selection on offer when it comes to shades, so there is something for everyone. However if your not looking for a lipstick, be sure to have a good browse on the Deborah Milano website as they have a good range of makeup and beauty products to offer.

Have you tried any products from Deborah Milano? Have you tried this lipstick yet?

Lot's of Love

I'm Back || Holiday Highlights

Hello everyone! I hope your all well and are having a fantastic weekend. I just wanted to get a post up for you all today to let you know that I'm back from my holiday and you can expect to see regular posts popping up on your feed again from me. I arrived home early hours of Monday morning and had to jump straight back into the swing of life with a work shift starting only a little while after arriving home *how rubbish is that?*. I think it's fair to say that this week I've had a serious case of holiday blues as the littlest of tasks have been such a big effort. Having been back in England for nearly a full week now, my holiday is feeling like a lifetime away already, so I thought whilst the memories are still fresh, I would share with you all my holiday highlights.

This year was my second trip to Turkey, it was so lovely having a relaxing two week holiday. For the last few years I've had some close family living out there, so not only was it amazing to get away, it was lovely being able to see everyone again and have a good ole catch up in the sun. My family and I were stayed in one of the apartments on the complex which is near a small town in the middle of nowhere and I'm not exaggerating when I tell you that there is hardly a living sole around where we stayed, especially with the nearest town being a 20 minute drive away. Out of all the complex gorgeous apartments and villas, only around 10 including ours were occupied, which meant we had the pool to ourselves most days. Our view at the  back of the complex was filled picturesque scenery with Turkeys beautiful mountains in the background and right outside the apartment you had 5 minute walk to the beach. The whole place was just so peaceful and relaxing and it felt so good to be far away from the busy hustle and bustle of what we know as life. Being on a complex meant that all our needs were catered for - With a choice of a few swimming pools, loungers and a bar open all day and all though the night meant that we didn't really have to leave the comforts of the complex. I tell you, I spent a lot of my time just chilling and relaxing on the sun lounger, catching as much sun as possible so I could come home with that gorgeous golden glow. 

However on most evenings we did venture out of the complex and went to local villages and markets and experienced the Turkish way of life. I tried some amazing Turkish food and bought tons of fresh fruit for the markets - Watermelon being one of my faves, it just doesn't taste the same once it's flown thousands of miles to the UK. It's crazy how everyone comes alive at the nighttime over in Turkey, with the temperature reaching 40 degrees plus in the day, the evening is the only time of day when things cool down a fraction. Being so close to the coast, meant I saw some beautiful sunsets on our ventures out in the evening.

During those days where it just felt way too hot to lay by the pool, the boyfriend and I would whip out our oh so sexy snorkeling gear, head off to the bay and spend hours in the sea, collecting shells and seeing all the pretty fish - We even spotted an octopus, which was a little scary and had me swimming in the other direction. One day that will be sure to stay with me for a long time was our trip to Dalyan, which was a four hour trip from our complex and back, but so worth the journey. Dalyan is home to a river which is filled with giant sea turtles and we were able to feed them on our river boat trip which was truly amazing. Not only was the boat trip really fun, but the river was situated right in the middle of the mountains and the scenery around us was just breathtakingly beautiful. There was also some ancient tombs which had been craved into the mountains, which was amazing to see. The river boat trip was topped off with two things - One end of the river lead you straight to the sea, and there was a private beach in which we got to relax on for a few hours. At the other end of the river was a Turkish mud bath and sulphur pool, which to my joy, got to experience - And what an experience it was I tell you! It was so weird dipping into a mud bath and wallowing around like a hippo for best part of an hour. Once your out the bath and have covered yourself with some more mud, you just stand out in the sun and let it all dry out, it goes really hard and feels like clay. It was so funny to see everyone walking around looking like statues all the same colour. Once showered off my skin felt ever so soft and it turned out to be a good pamper. Although I have to admit I was finding mud in all sorts of places long after we got back to our complex. 

Overall I had such an amazing holiday and I loved every minute of it. Although I am missing the sun now and the Turkish way off life now, I was ready to come home as the heat was getting a little too much and I do love my home comforts. Now that I'm back I have a long list of all sorts of posts that I want to get up for you all, so please make sure you keep your eyes pealed for those. I am also planning on making some BIG changes to Miss Sunshine & Sparkle over the next few weeks or so, which I'm really excited about. I would also like to say a huge thank you to all the lovely ladies who took their time to guest post on my blog whilst I was away and I hope you all enjoyed reading something a little different on here.

I would love to know about your holiday highlights, or where your jet setting off too.

Lot's of Love

Guest Post || Summer Essential Makeup by Rachael - A is for Ayla

Hi ladies - Today I have a guest post for you all from the lovely Rachael over at A is for Ayla Blog. As summer seams to be in full swing, Rachel is going to talk to you all about her favourite summer makeup essentials. There are some great beauty finds in this post that will keep you looking flawless throughout the summer :)

Hi there lovely fans of Miss Sunshine Sparkle! I'm Rachael from the blog A Is For Ayla. I've decided that because of all the amazing weather we are having at the moment, it made sense to write a guest post on my Summer makeup essentials. Below are a few tips and my favourite beauty products for long-lasting, durable, Summer makeup!

Stains

For me, my most important piece of makeup for the Summer is a cheek or lip stain. Some days I will easily go without foundation, concealer or any other makeup purely because it's too much to handle during hot weather. I love to apply a bright stain product to add some colour to my face. For cheeks I go straight to Benefit's Posie Tint. Benefit have a variety of cheek stains which are very well recommended by the blogger community. My favourite stains for lips are of course the famous Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stains (pictured: Darling) which apply just like a balm, are easily built upon and come in a shades covering the entire lip-colour spectrum. For lips I'm also a fan of the Maybelline Colour Sensational Lip Gloss in 'Stellar Berry'. I know a lot of people are anti-lipgloss in the summer, and for the most part I'd agree. However, 'Stellar Berry' after an initial hour or so of wear, turns in to a bright, berry pigmented stain that doesn't lose impact at all. I love wearing the particular gloss when I go out and I guess in many ways the credentials needed for going-out makeup match those required for a Summer-proof makeup look!

Primer

Regardless of what face makeup you choose to wear during the Summer, a good primer can dramatically alter the texture and longevity of the product on your face. I know many people during Winter months skip a primer as they find it "unnecessary" however I'd say in Summer its essential! My favourites for face, and those pictured are Bare Minerals Original Foundation Primer and Smashbox Photo Flawless Light Primer. Bare Minerals is a tinted face primer, that blends is seamlessly to the skin and adds colour without going patchy (think a better version of tinted moisturiser) whereas Smashbox is a translucent primer that provides an incredibly smooth surface for makeup to be applied upon. My favourite for eyes and a recent purchase for me are the MAC Paint Pots - a cream base with less pigmentation than a traditional cream eyeshadow. Both types of primers provide a barrier between powder makeup (eyeshadow, blush ect.) and oily skin which can cause makeup to slide off the face or diminish throughout the day.

Keeping it light

I'm sure many people will agree that in Summer it's much wiser to wear light makeup. Often heavy, thick, liquid foundation can sit like a mask on your skin which will eventually slide off your face if you're active or the weather is too hot. Personally, I love mineral makeup for the Summer. My all-time best recommendation for you all is Bare Minerals. You can get mineral concealer, foundation and various 'veils' (finishing powders for hydration, tinting, illuminating and mattifying) which are all so light you can barely feel them on your skin. Bare Minerals even claim their makeup is so pure and clean you can sleep in it (wouldn't advise it though). I've heard worries that mineral makeup isn't high coverage enough for some people, however, if you can get a mineral concealer, chances are the coverage is high enough for all over the face. 

 

I hope you enjoyed this post, I'd love to know what your top Summer makeup products are! And if you liked this put even more so, you can find lots of similar posts on my blog A is for Ayla.

Lot's of Love

Rachael xo