James Brown Photo Fabulous Volumising Mousse Review

Hello Everyone!

I hope you are all well.  As I've mentioned many times before, I have fine hair so I am always looking for ways to add volume.  A product I have used on and off for years is mousse and the one I will be reviewing today is the James Brown Photo Fabulous Volumising Mousse.

The packging of the product is different from anything else on the market which really makes it stand out on the shelf.  Rather than going for your typical pinks or pastel's they have used black with neon orange which makes the packaging edgy and funky.

* some of the wording is chopped off in the above pic as I didn't originally plan to make a collage.

The texture of the James Brown volumising mousse is your typical white foam which expands in your hand.  It's scent is nice and lingers on your hair...it reminds me of the hair products used in salons. I'm sitting here with my boyfriend trying to work out how to describe this smell and we've both come to the conclusion it is unlike any other products and pretty hard to put your finger on.  My attempt would be a sweet, floral, musky fragrance which isn't overpowering.

This product works consistenly when teamed with a variety of shampoo's are conditioners (such as Elvive, James Brown and Charles Worthington) and can be used to add volume to the roots and length of your hair as well as create a messy, beachy waves look (read the tutoral here).

I apply the James Brown mousse to towel dried hair upside down.  I find this allows me to evenly distribute the product easier as I start from root to tip.  Following this I simply brush through my hair and dry it as normal.

There are two key things to remember when using mousse:

1. Shake, shake, shake - You need to throughly shake mousse so when you pump it out it turns into a foam which expands rather than a wet mess. If you don't do this you won't get the volume you want.
2. Quantity - Mousse can make your hair sticky if you use too much of it so you need to make sure you don't go overboard. It is very much down to trial and error but to give you a rough idea this is how much I use for my length hair:

I really like this product and I've been using it every time I have washed my hair for around two months.  If you use the correct quantity it doesn't leave your hair sticky or flat but I have found it does dry out my hair a little.  To fix this, I make sure I apply moroccan oil (read the review here).

What do you think of mousse? How do you add volume to your hair?

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NYX Jumbo Eyeshadow Pencils Review

Hello Everyone!

I hope you're well and are having a good week.  I was lucky enough to take part in a UK/US swap recently and my friend also went to the US and bought me some beauty gifts so I've got my hands on some US products I have been itching to share with you!  The first products in the US related posts are the NYX Jumbo crayons which are eyeshadow pencils.

Before my friend went to the US I spent quite a lot of time surfing the net looking at these NYX pencils and I was totally overwhelmed by the amount of shades available.  There really  is something for everyone!  The colours I have in my collection are:

• Yoghurt - A light, shimmery, gold beige shade which looks lovely all over the lid or in the inner corner/tear duct. I can also see a very slight hint of pink undertones..
• Stawberry Milk - This is a really pretty pearly, pale pink shade that gives you a subtle pop of girly colour when splashed across your eye lid.
• Cottage Cheese - A gorgeous shimmery white which works perfectly in your inner corner/tear duct to highlight your eyes and make them look bigger. It can also be blended onto your brow brown and used as a highlighter
• French Fries - This is a deep brown shade with gold and bronze undertones which looks great in the crease and outter corner all over the lid for a more intense evening look.

The texture of the NYX Jumbo pencils in my collection are very creamy and blendable.  I find them easier to work with than the MAC paint pots because they don't dry as quickly but this also means they are more prone to creasing.   I find the best way to apply these shadows is to put them in place directly from the pencil and then use my finger tips to blend around the edges and over the lid (the latter only if I want a more subtle look).  I then pop a little powder shadow that helps to prevent the cream shadow from creasing as much (if at all), although you need to do this with a shade and quantity that will not ruin the look your have created.

I created the above look using Strawberry Milk  (several layers so it would show up on camera) and Cottage Cheese.

NYX Jumbo pencils are definitely a great go to product if you are in a rush because it is so quick to apply them and there is no need for a brush or a lot of blending when compared to powder shadows.  They are also pretty long wearing so you don't have to worry about them fading or moving throughout the day, although they can make your eyeliner slide a little as they are so silky in texture.

One element of these NYX products that almost put me off was the sharpening.  The formula is just so creamy I thought it was going to be an absolute nightmare and I wasn't looking forward to the amount of product wastage you could get from melting pencils.  However, a little trick is to pop the pencils in the freezer to harden the formulation before sharpening. It works a treat!

If you prefer to have your cream shadows in a pot rather than pencil form then they can be depotted.  If you're interested, take a look on You Tube for the different techniques that can be used. The methods all seem to use heat which I'm not too sure about so I don't think I'm going to try this myself.

The jumbo eyepencils are available in the UK at 123 Hair and Beauty for £4.50 each and I believe at a variety of stores in the US (but are cheaper).

What do you think of the NYX Jumbo pencils?

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Handmade Love Heart Sweetie Charm Bracelet

Hello Lovelies!

Last weekend, as the weather was nice, I went to a craft fair with my boyfriend and parents.  It only runs twice a year and it is a really lovely day out if the weather is good. The set up is an array of large marquee's filled with stalls.  Each stall has a mass of unique, often handmade products such as clothes, shoes and accessories, homeware, jewellery and food.

I picked up a few things while I was there but something I would like to share with you today is a handmade Love Heart Sweetie charm bracelet.  The stall really stood out because the theme of all the jewellery was sweets and biscuits.. everything you can imagine had been moulded and crafted into a unique piece of jewellery.  This isn't usually the type of jewellery I would be drawn to as I hardly own any costume jewellery and tend to prefer more classic, minimal pieces but there was something about it that I loved and I've been wanting to grow my collection for a while so I took a closer look.

The main part of the bracelet is made from delicate silver links and hanging off of those are an assortment of pastel love heart charms. There are also some silver heart charms and an angel saying 'Made for an Angel' - how sweet! This is a really cute bracelet and I love that it is different from anything available in the shops so it is unlikely you'll bump into anyone else you has it.

I stupidly didn't note down the name of the company or get a card so I'm afraid I can't tell you who made this lovely piece of jewellery or if they have a website BUT I expect I will go again later on in the year so if anyone is interested I will keep a look out and if they are there I will get the details.

What do you think of this bracelet?

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Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua Foundation Review

Hello Lovelies!

I hope you're all well! Today's review is on my current all time favourite foundation, Vitalumiere Aqua by Chanel.  Now that is quite some claim so let me tell you why I love this foundation so much.

Firstly, the packaging of Vitalumiere Aqua is sleek, compact and simple.  I like the chic design and the simple use of colour - just black, white and beige. The size also makes it very easy to tidy away or carry in your makeup bag. The only downside is that the packaging is plastic rather than glass so this product doesn't feel as expensive as it is.

Vitalumiere Aqua is the most beautiful foundation I have ever used.  It is very, very light in texture as it is water based so it glides onto your skin effortlessly.  Before using this foundation, as with any with a water base, you must remember to shake it really well.  If you don't then the formula doesn't get mixed up properly.

This foundation provides low coverage and gives you a really natural finish with a slight glow which I really love.  I'm not a big fan of heavy foundations as I hate the way they look and feel on my skin.  Vitalumiere Aqua is the complete opposite to this.  The texture is so light it doesn't even feel like you're wearing a foundation, it is like a second skin and applies very well when using both a brush or your finger tips.  I think everyone that tries this foundation should try applying it with your fingers even if you don't usually so you can experience the soft texture and how well it blends into your skin.  It's something you don't get if you are using an applicator.

The Vitalumiere Aqua foundation formula is enriched with a UVB sun filter and mineral sunscreen (SPF 15), which is something I always look for in a foundation.  I like that it is giving you extra protection from the damaging affects of the sun.  

The smell of this foundation is also gorgeous.  It is a fresh, perfumed fragrance and you can definitely smell it on application but it soon settles and disppears.

I have combination skin and I find that this foundation works extremely well with it.  It doesn't get cakey on my dry areas and it doesn't slide off of my oily T-zone although I do find this foundation doesn't last particularly long on me unless I use both a primer and setting spray.  I think this seems to be dependent on your skin type, though, as not everyone seems to have this problem.  Baring this in mind I probably wouldn't use this foundation if I had very oily skin. Anyway, with a good primer and setting spray this foundation lasts on my skin for a good 8 hours which I find to be pretty impressive!

You can buy Chanel, Vitalumiere Aqua foundation at Boots for £32.00.

What do you like/dislike about this foundation? What is your favourite foundation at the moment?

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Rimmel Kate Moss Matte Lipstick 107 Review

Hello Lovelies!

Today's review is on a product which has been hyped about for months in the blogging and You Tube world and that is a Rimmel Kate Moss Matte lipstick. There is one shade in particular which has always stood out for me but until recently I really struggled to get my hands on it.  Every Boots and Superdrug I went into were constantly sold out but finally a few weeks ago I found one! The shade I was so desperate to get is 107 which is a gorgeous deep berry red with purple undertones.  I much prefer these red shades to the more orange toned ones as they seem to suit me much better.

The packaging of the lipsticks in this particular Kate Moss range sport a red casing with glossy black interior as well as Kate's signature splashed across the lid.  I love this sleek, compact look and the really stand out when you compare them to other lipsticks on the market.

As you can imagine, after waiting so long to get hold of one of these lipsticks I couldn't wait to try it. After the first application, I found shade 107 gives you a lovely bold pop of colour that instantly brightens up your face and gives you a dramatic look which is perfect for evening wear.  Unlike other matte lipsticks I have tried, the formulation of 107 is surprisingly creamy and isn't anywhere near as drying as I thought it may be. Before buying this shade I had purchased 101 (pale pink) and I found this was much more drying so it seems to be a bit hit and miss but at least 107 was impressive.

 

Another bonus is that I didn't find any need to use a lip liner with the Rimmel Kate Moss lipstick.  It didn't smudge or bleed but instead gradually wore off throughout the evening leaving a slight stain on my lips but no patches.  If you're going to be out for a good few hours and still want an intense colour then you will need to re-apply.

One last point about this lipstick is the smell.  It has a very light fragrance which is exactly the same as the Rimmel Apocalips.  I would describe it as being a fresh fruity smell which reminds me of melon.  It's nice but I do prefer the vanilla scent of MAC lipsticks.

Overall, I really like the lipstick and it was well worth the wait... I've even bought my mum one too! It's like buses.. you wait ages for one and then two come along together?!

You can pick up the Rimmel Kate Moss Matte lipsticks from Superdrug for £5.49 and there is currently a 3 for 2 offer on across all make up brands!

What is your favourite lipstick from the Rimmel Kate Moss Matte range? Have you tried any of the lipsticks from the other Rimmel Lipstick collections?

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Smashbox Photo Finish Primer Review

Hello Everyone!

How are you all? Today's review is on the well known primer in the beauty industry and that is the Photo Finish foundation primer by Smashbox.

I got this primer in the Smashbox Try Me Kit I blogged about earlier in the week and this was the product I was itching to try the most.

This foundation primer is a transparent gel and has a smooth silky consistency.  The formulation is oil free so it doesn't make your skin greasy and applies well on my combination skin. This primer doesn't seem to have a smell and it is easy to quickly smooth it over your face to prep it for the application of your foundation. It really does glide over your skin and is a lovely product to work with.

I always apply primers with my finger tips because you use so little it isn't really worth using a brush.  Also, you're not looking at buffing or blending it into your skin so it is fine to use your hands.  I don't have to use loads of this product to get the coverage I want but because it is something I will definitely use everyday and I will be covering my whole face it is a makeup product you use up quicker than others. Therefore, do I think this primer is worth the hype and the expensive price tag of £25.00?

My answer is YES! I find that this primer makes my skin smoother so my foundation applies better and it makes my makeup stay on for longer (I always use setting spray too, though). I would definitely buy this primer in the larger size and I would be happy to use it every day.

You can buy the Smashbox Photo Finish primer from Boots for £25.00 but if it order it from the Smashbox website (for the same price) you may get an extra free sample thrown in :)

Have you tried this primer?

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Smashbox Try Me Kit First Impressions

 

I was surfing the Smashbox website and noticed they were offering a Try Me Kit of their best selling products and I just couldn't resist!

This kit contains sample sizes of products which are usually priced at £3.50 each. I think this is a brilliant way of introducing products to people as it gives you a chance to try the products (most of which are pretty pricey!) before committing. It has allowed me to try Smashbox products I didn't really even consider before.

The products that come in the kit are below. I haven't used all of them in depth yet so I am just going to tell you my first impressions in this post. I will do full reviews on each product over the next few weeks when I have given them a good try.

Products

• Photo Finish Foundation Primer (clear) - I'm expecting good things from this product as there is a lot of hype around this primer and some even claim it is the best on the market.

• Photo Finish Lid Primer (warm beige) - This isn't a product I would have normally bought because I love my Urban Decay priming potion but now I have it I am looking forward to trying it to see how it compares.

• Full Exposure Mascara (Black) - I haven't tried this yet but I have had a sneak peak at the brush and so far i'm liking what I see! The brush is big, I like the shape and it isn't plastic.. so far it ticks all the boxes but the proof is in the application.

• Lip Enhancing Gloss in Illume (iridescent pale nude) - For some reason I was expecting this to be a plain gloss rather than glitter so I was surprised when I saw it was shimmery. It looks like a pretty, every day shade but i'm yet to try it.

• Limitless Eye Liner (Onyx - Black) - Again, I haven't tried this yet but it looks like a gorgeous, pigmented, creamy eye pencil. I can't wait to see what it's like!

I ordered my Try Me Kit from the Smashbox website and when it arrived I was surprised at how well it had been packaged. Not only did they come in a black box which matches the Smashbox brand perfectly, but also wrapped in tissue paper.. I was very impressed! By ordering directly from the Smashbox website I was also lucky enough to be offered a free sample of my choice - I went for the BB cream.

The Smashbox Try Me Kit is available for £19.00 on the Smashbox website or Boots.

Have you tried any of these products? What do you think of the Try Me Kit?

 

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Cosmopolitan Awards 2013 - Can I ask a favour, please?

Hello Everyone!!

I hope you're all well. This is just a quick post to let you know that the nominating process has begun for the Cosmopolitan Awards 2013 and I would be extremely grateful if you could please nominate by blog?

The category is:

• Best New Beauty Blog

The process is really simple, you just have to click HERE and fill in a super quick form (most of it is just selecting a few options.. it takes seconds)

Here are a few directions below:

Scroll to the bottom of the page and click 'Next Page'.  This will open the form.

Below is a picture of what the form looks like.  I have had my blog for less than a year BUT the Next Newcomer submissions are now full so please don't click on the link to enter. The blog address you should use is: www.kimberleysbeautyblog.com :)

The Cosmopolitan Awards are sponsored by the retail company Next and this is the fourth year they have been running.

Please make my year and nominate my blog! :)

Thank you!

  

P.S I'm always open to suggestions on how I can improve my blog and requests.  So if there is a particular review or post you would like to see please let me know and I will see what I can do.  Also, if there is anything about my blog that you're not too keen on or something you think could be improved I would be grateful if you could tell me, after all if I don't know I can't do anything about it.  I've got a gorgeous new layout coming soon too!

 

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BIG MAC Haul

Hello Beauty Lovers!

Last week I went to an event at Carnaby Street, London where they had a big discount at a large range of stores and against all the odds MAC was one of them!

As there was such a good discount I decided to go a little crazy and buy loads of things that were on my MAC wishlist and of course I couldn't wait to share them with you.  It was CRAZY busy and took forever to queue so the whole experience was a little stressful.  I'm definitely glad I brought my wish list with me because it really wasn't the environment to browse and decide what you wanted. Any how, i'm really please with what I picked up:

• MAC Fix+ - This is a soothing moisture mist which can be used before or after makeup application as well as during the day.  I bought this because I wanted something to refresh my face which isn't easy if you're wearing a full face of makeup.  Unlike what many people think, this isn't a setting spray, it is purely to hydrate the skin. You can pick up the biggest size (100ml) for £13.50 full price. 

• Lipstick: Creme D'Nude - I've heard people call this shade the 'perfect' nude and as my collection pretty much consists of all pink and red shades I thought it was about time I added this .  When I swatched it I was a little wary as it is very nude and i'm not sure if it will just wash me out *fingers crossed* it doesn't. The finish of this lipstick is a Cremesheen so it is super moistursing. Full price of this lipstick is £14.00.

• Lipstick: Hue - This is another nude lipstick but a little darker than Creme D'Nude and more pink toned.  I've thought about getting this lipstick for quite some time and it looks like a nice shade to wear every day. The finish of this lipstick is a Glaze and it is available at full price for £14.00.

• Eyeshadow: Club - This is a really interesting shade because it's a duochrome.  This means it looks a different shade as it catches the light at different angles and also when teamed with other shadows.  This shade can look brown, green and red and I can't wait to give it a try. Full price is £10.

• Eyeshadow: Phloof - This is a gorgeous pink toned highlighter which I will use in my inner corner/tear duct area and brow brown. Full price is £10.

• Eyeshadow: Cranberry - Cranberry is a shade I have been umming and ahhing about getting for a while because it looks so pretty in the pan but I worry it may make my eyes look 'sore' because it is a deep pink with purple tones. I decided to get it in the end because it can be teamed with a lot of other shadow's I own and i've also seen some beautiful makeup looks with it.  Full price is £10.

• Eyeshadow: Sumptuous Olive - This is a shimmery gold khaki green shade.  I'm not normally a fan of green but this has got a lot of gold flecks and i've seen some lovely makeup looks using this colour.  I want to combine this this Club and also try it as a simple lid colour on its own. Full price is £10.

• Eyeshadow: Handwritten - This is a simple dark brown, matte shade which I have been advised is very blendable (unlike some of the other matte brown's in my MAC collection).  This is a shade I will use in my outter corner and crease and maybe all over my lid depending on how dark it turns out. Full price is £10.

• Eyeshadow: Knight Divine - This is a charcoal grey shade which will be great to use in the outer corner and crease.  This eyeshadow looks like a great alternative to the usual black or browns I use. Full price is £10.

• Vanilla Pigment - I have heard nothing but good things about the Vanilla Pigment so was very pleased this was in stock.  I will mostly use this product in my inner corner/tear duct area as it really helps to highlight the eye and make it look bigger.  It also looks great all over the lid and on top of other shadows. You can use this pigment as a face highlighter too but I doubt I will do this.. I love Soft and Gentle too much! Pigment is £16.50 full price.

• Blusher: Tenderling - This blusher is a great natural shade which can easily be worn for an every day look.  It is pink, peach toned and is actually my first ever blusher from MAC... shocking I know! This is priced at £14.50.

• Palette Inserts - I bought two palette inserts, one for a 15 pan eyeshadow palette and the other for 6 blushers.  Unfortunately, MAC didn't actually have any palette cases in stock  so i'm going to have to order a couple online which isn't ideal as I now don't have a home for most of the new eyeshadow's I have bought!  The palette inserts are £6.50 each full price.

I am hoping to also film a video about this haul so i'm currently resisting the urge to open up the eyeshadow's and pop them in my palette inserts.. i'm struggling! The life of a blogger, eh?

Have you tried any of these MAC products? If so, what were your thoughts? What is on you MAC wish list?

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