My Current Beauty Faves

Recently I have been splurging a little too much on my most favourite thing to buy...beauty products. And in the process of trying them out and testing away I have fallen in love with some old favourites I haven't used in yonks, so I thought I would grab a couple of my recent faves to show you all. If you would like to see a haul of everything I bought please let me know but even I am a little shocked by the amount of Boots, Superdrug and Debenhams orders that have arrived at the Bamber household the past few weeks. Ooops! Don't worry, everyone else has been spoiled too - it just so happens my weakness is anything in small pots and jars!

First off is the Naked Basics palette, I am certain you would have seen this knocking about all over the Internet and bloggers have been raving about it's amazingness for months and finally decided to add it to my collection. I own the Naked 2 palette and love it! But if I had to sum it up in one word it would be 'Shimmer'! The great thing about the Naked basics is it is branded as all Matte shades, although I think the highlight has the tiniest hint of sparkle running through it. I admit it, I am a neutrals addict, I rarely venture from browns and greys so I know this will be well loved and has already become my most reached for palette.

Next I fancied a little contour, who doesn't want to have cheek bones like Sam and Nic Chapman?? Okay Okay, maybe I am venturing a little high but I do love a defined cheek, plus as an added bonus it slims down the face so why wouldn't I want to give it a whirl. For as long as I can remember I have used the Bourjois chocolate bronzer but I really don't see that it gives that much colour pay off, maybe it is an old formula or it really just isn't working on my skin tone? Off I went surfing over to superdrug and popped this in my basket, its the Sleek Contour Kit in Fair (they also do one without the blush). It is great, the bronzer isn't too orange and I am loving the highlight! But watch out, the first time I used all three together I had a little too much 'glow' going on so I would recommend a matte blusher...I actually also got the Sleek blush by 3 palette in Lace and it goes perfectly :)

Brows, Brows Brows! I love a good Brow but always struggle finding just the right colour. I look back on pictures and sometimes I have blonde brows, then brown...even black. Having red hair and being pale I just couldn't make my mind up what shade to go for or what suits me best. Finally I took the plunge and bought the Anastasia Brow Wiz that Pixiwoo rave about in nearly all of their tutorials...I opted for Brunette and crossed my fingers that it would be the perfect colour. When it arrived I whipped it out and filled in my brows and it was perfect, it is a true ashy brown colour with no red tones which is rare to find. The only downside is it is so blumming well difficult to photograph! haha!

Another product I finally bought after way too much ummming and aahhing, the holy grail Mac 217 brush and if I am honest I wish I had took the plunge so much sooner. When it came Matt said 'another brush, why? Don't you have like a hundered' I suppose he has a point, I love brushes and have more than I need but this is in the top 3! If you aren't familiar with the Mac 217 it is an all purpose brush but amazing for blending out eyeshadow. I love a smoky neutral eye so it was more of a necessity than an indulgence - Are you buying this Matthew? I doubt it haha :D If you are tempted then go and get it, I promise it is worth every penny!

Bare Minerals Warmth Face Powder. I have fallen back in love with the product over the past few months and I even forgot I had it I hadn't used it in so long, I only found it again thanks to Finley pulling out a massive box of make up all over the floor! The way I use this is to fake the 'Ive been out in the sunshine' look rather than using it as a contour powder as it is a little dark. Just a light dusting on the cheekbones and forehead gives you a lovely summer glow without looking orange and too made up. But beware it is very very pigmented and a tiny speck really goes a long way, I bought this pot back when I got married and still have all this product left! 

Oh hi Estee Lauder in Shell, welcome back into my life! Back in Oct/Nov of last year there was an uproar in the 'fair skinned' community - Estee lauder decided to discontinue their lightest shade and replace it with two alternatives - both wayyy darker than their predecessor and left the likes of me hunting for a replacement. I was liking Bourjois Healthy Mix serum is shade 51 but it was still that touch too dark for me and wasn't as much coverage as I was used too. Finally after calling up Estee Lauder pestering them for months (sorry about that Customer Services) and ringing my local counter time after time they have finally re-launched Shell. Wahoooo!

Now onto the eyes, I am going to be honest with you all here. I never used to like this mascara at all, I thought it was over hyped and really couldn't understand what everyone was raving about...plus all my mind could think was 'how much?' But once my first tube had all run out and I moved back to trying out a few other mascaras it dawned on me that it was actually really great. It is a easily buildable formula that doesnt clump and the brush is amazing at grabbing those tiny little outer corner eyelashes. I wouldnt say it looks like I have false lashes on but it definitely a lovely defining mascara, the only thing I would like changed is the price! It was £18 when I first purchased and already it has had a hike twice from £19 to £19.50! Holy Moly, if it gets any dearer I have to say Benefit I may have to love you and leave you and run off with another brand...my poor purse just cannot cope!

Recently I have really got into Lipsticks and I am especially enjoying Revlons massive choice! I have picked two different ends of the spectrum here one a Matte dense finish and the other a balmy sheer finish. Firstly the Revlon Matte Shade, the swatch is a little orange-er on the photo and is much more nudey with a hint of colour in real life but I love it. I was a little scared it would be one of those scary Matte lipsticks that stick in all the cracks and you are clawing at your lips to wipe it off in 60 seconds (i'm looking at you Barry M). But it is smooth, long lasting and is fully opaque in one swipe.
The next is one of a few Kissable Lip Stain Balms I have, as you can tell I am loving orangy tones and shades at the moment. All through winter I loved lilacs or just a plain lip but now I have pumped it up and cracked out the crazy summer shades. The colour although sheer is definitely buildable and super moisturising, I love them and when the 3 for 2 offer is back on in Boots I shall be stocking up on more.

That's a few of my current favourites rounded up for you all :D I hope you enjoyed the post and if you want to see anymore of the bits I purchased (all along the same lines) just let me know.

I have also just got a brand new storage system to house all of these lovelies in so next time I might be able to show you that all set up...that is if I can follow the flatpack instructions!

Love Kayleigh x

Springtime Nail Saviours

I am still sitting here in hope that some sunshine is on its way so in an effort to coax him to pop his hat on I shall brighten up our day with a little bit of nail varnish chat. I have only just recently rekindled my love with polishes....I think if you ask a new mum how they manage to paint their nails they will more than likely say they don't due to lack of time haha. Now Finley is in bed early and sleeping great YAY I can finally paint those fingers and even include a base and top coat....its the little things.

For ages I had bottles of polish dotted all over the house, some in the Bathroom, a few in the sideboard drawers and even some in the attic!! Well, to my surprise when I finally managed to get them all together it seems I have more than I need...a lot more. So I have split them all into seasons (in my mind that is) am I the only one who has done this? And as we are in the midst of Spring I thought I would share my fave spring shades, if you fancy I shall do the same for the rest of the year :)

Mavala Pastel Polishes*

Mavala Polishes Left to Right - Lagoon, Lemon Cream, White, Aquamarine

I love these subtle Spring/Summer Mavala pastel shades, they are inspired by laid back feminine, beachy fun, achieved with playful candy and pastel hues. I have short nails and think shades like the white really pop on a shorter squarer nail. They have a slight shimmer only visible in the direct light which is definitely a plus. Sometimes I find shimmer can overwhelm a colour but in these polishes it really compliments each shade. Out of all the 4 colours I am loving the Lemon Cream Yellow which I am currently wearing, I even got complemented in my local Newsagent! Loving the consistency also, they haven't gone the slightest bit clagy or gloopy and the brush is the perfect width for easy application. I am loving these polishes and they come in at a great price range at £4.50 each and available here

O.P.I New York Mini Ballet Collection

O.P.I Laquers Left to Right - Dont touch my tutu, Care to Danse?, My Pointe Exactly, Pirouette my Whistle

I bought this set of polishes around 12 months ago and LOVE them, you will probably notice from the polishes swatched I really enjoy a solid colour and a good nude oo-err! These lacquers as O.P.I call them are very sheer, if you are looking for an opaque finish you will be looking at nearly 5 coats. But I love that sheer wash of colour, it is such a classy effortless look that will suit all skintones. O.P.I are famous for their great lasting power and quality and all though these are minis they are still as fab as the larger size lacquers. These would also be a perfect wedding nail colour, sheer, feminine and a little pearlised what more could you ask for. LOVE! You can get yours here for £12.95 for the whole set.

A Spring Mix and Match

Mix Match Left to Right - Barry M Strawberry, MeMeMe Sensuous, Eyeko Rain Polish, Leighton Denny Babydoll

From left to right Barry M - Strawberry 309. This is an amazing baby pink, you only need two coats and it has phenomenal lasting power. The consistency has never changed in the 2 years I have owned this bad boy, they only thing I would change is the strong varnish smell it gives off..but I can live with that for the colour.
MeMeMe - Sensuous 97. This was another fab Glossybox polish I received months back, the shade is a soft peachy nude that starts of sheer but is easily buildable within 3 coats. 
Eyeko Rain Polish - This is from the days when Eyeko was just too amazing, their skinny mascara was only £7.50, they did jumbo lip crayons and they stocked an amazing range of nail polishes. I really wish you could still get hold of these and I will be so sad when it runs out so I am using it sparingly. Its a gorgeous muted grey/blue that looks stunning on the nail.
Leighton Denny Babydoll - A deeper but still pastel pink, that is so easy to apply. I have a bit of a soft spot for Leighton as I am always watching him on QVC showing off his fab nail painting skills. His polishes are so long lasting, if you don't have a top coat to hand always grab one of his colours as they will be sure to last.

Models Own Collective

Models Own Left to Right - Snow White, Fuzzy Peach, Lemon Meringue, Beth's Blue, Buff Pink, Jade Stone, Lilac Dream

I am a massive fan of Models Own polishes, I own way too many but just love everything about them. They stock an amazing array of colours from nudes to shocking pinks and to top it off the price is fantastic. I tend to stock up when they have their massive 50% off sale - who else joins in on this?
One of my fave shades I have been wearing this spring is Jade Stone, it looks darker in the bottle but when its painted on it is almost a dupe for Essies Mint Candy Apple. :D
Lastability is really great and if you start getting a few chips here and there you can pop over one of their glitter polishes for a few extra days before you have to re-apply. 
One thing that really stands out for me is the shape of the bottle, the lids are so chunky you get a great hold of the brush so you aren't wobbling all over trying not to hit your finger. If you haven't already head over to the Models Own Website to check out their fab range of colours and glitters.

There you have it, my recommendations for this Springtime and my most fave polishes at the moment, I'm thinking of running the same feature for Summer so let me know if you would like to see it?

Ohhh I had to swatch on little nail thingys because no-one wants to see the ends of my fingers lol. My poor cuticles are not in great shape so for every ones benefit I used these plastic swatchy thingys. Plus I quite enjoyed sitting there painting away, just remember if you are going to do this please open a window....I soon realised swatching 20 nail varnishes makes for a very dizzy Kayleigh...oops.

Love Kayleigh x

A treat for Mummy

Since Finley has been born I haven't been one for buying treats for myself but this was an offer I just couldn't pass up. Yes that's right I have only gone and bought a Clarisonic. 

Now before you all think I am a trillionarie and have money stuffed in my mattress I don't, but I'm sure I'd sleep a lot better if it was stuffed with £50 notes galore! 

Anyway I digress, the reason I snapped this up was because it was a bargain plus I wont have paid it off until February *sigh* I wonder how it feels to be rich eh?

Funnily enough I bought this beauty on Matt's birthday - Happy Birthday to Matthew me!

If you a regular watcher of QVC like me, yes you heard right QVC - it really isn't for old ladies they have some major offers and stock brands like Liz Earle and Benefit! Everyday they have a really reduced price on an item they sell or a group of beauty items. That day it was the Clarisonic Mia :) 

I have toyed with the idea of getting a Clarisonic for a while now but the price has always put me off, for someone that likes to thrift and save money spending over £100 for a face cleaning machine seemed a little far fetched. Especially for Matt who is in the mindset "whats wrong with a flannel"?

However the deal on QVC was rather tempting, I got the Clarisonic Mia with the standard cleansing brush head plus 3 other different heads, cleansing wash and a wash bag all for.....drum roll please....£99!!! Still a massive wedge I hear you say, well yes I agree, but QVC offer easypays (a payment a month) on certain items and this was on 4 easy pays of £24ish pounds! A steal as for the Clarisonic Mia with one head is averaging £127 on its own.

 

Even better they offer a 30 day money back guarantee on anything if your not happy, even if you have used it everyday! But wait theres more, as it is nearly the festive season they are saying if it is a present (which it is but just for me) they are extending the guarantee till the end of January 2013! 

I shall be testing this to my hearts content as I have peace of mind I can get my money back in a heartbeat and I haven't had to shell out the full price. This was the major selling point as reviews are mixed, some say it is their holy grail product, some say they never even use it. 

I haven't used it yet and I think that is down to being scared of the purging process but I will keep a log of my progress and see if it really is worth all the hype, if not it is getting boxed back up and sent back to QVC. But I am hoping it gives me clear soft skin and can take pride of place on the bathroom side :) 

What do you think of the Clarisonic Mia? When was your first treat after having your baby? 

Love Kayleigh x