Maxfactor Gel Shine Lacquer review and swatches

L-R Twinkling Pink, Vivid Vermillion and Patent Poppy

Hello! Wow, it's been a while. I will hopefully be writing a post explaining why I'm not as active any more soon, however I just wanted to get a beauty-related post up. Sadly my SD card has gone to heaven so I haven't been able to take any photos, but I did manage to find these beauties on my laptop. In fact, I'm surprised I haven't blogged about them yet as I absolutely adore them.

Maxfactor is a brand that I haven't really explored. I used their mascara when I was first starting out with make up and I like their FaceFinity foundation, but other than that I'm yet to delve further. And these nail polishes were a great place to start. The Gel Shine Lacquers* have been available for a good few months now and there is nine shades in the range in total, each retailing for £6.99.

The 'modern glamour' collection, created by Pat McGrath, has been inspired by decades and gives off high shine and intense colour than lasts. In fact when it comes to longevity these really can't be faulted. They come with a special two-fold patented plasticiser which adds flexibility to the formula, giving off a strong resistant film which maximises the impact on the nail.

I received the shades Twinkling Pink, Vivid Vermillion and Patent Poppy which were perfect shades throughout the summer. Their high pigment meant only two coats were needed. I now however have my eyes on Sparkling Berry and Sheen Merlot which are deep purple shades that I know will become winter staples. At less than £7 these nail polishes are affordable and of such exceptional quality.

Have you tried these nail polishes before?
*PR Sample

_________________________________________________________________________________

Twitter|Facebook|BlogLovin|Instagram

Get a FREE personal training session here

Top 10 autumn nail polish shades for under £10

With yesterday's rain, it's safe to say that autumn is well and truly here. Gone are the days of sunglasses and shorts, and out comes to brollies and breeze. With that comes the more muted fall-inspired nails polish shades. I've delved into my collection and dug out my top ten shades for the colder months - and best of all, they're all below a tenner! 

From left to right in the picture of the swatches:

KIKO Poker Nail Lacquer in Intuition Wine* - £6.90

Barry M Hi Shine Gel Effect Nail Polish in Mustard - £3.99

KIKO Denim Nail Lacquer in 461* - £2.50

Essie Mini Single Nail Polish in Naughty Nautical* - £7.99

Models Own Speckled Eggs in Goose Yellow* - £5.00

KIKO Satin Nail Lacquer in 447* - £0.50

Models Own Sweet Shop in Liquorice Allsorts* - £5.00

Models Own Velvet Goth in Sardonyx* - £5.00

KIKO Sun Pearl Nail Lacquer in 427* - £1.00

Models Own Fruit Pastel in Coconut Cream* - £5.00

What's your favourite autumn nail polish shade?
*PR Sample

_________________________________________________________________________________

Twitter|Facebook|BlogLovin|Instagram

Get a FREE personal training session here

Models Own Diamond Luxe collection with swatches

L-R Radiant Pink, Asscher Blue and Heart Red

I sorted my collection out the other day and discovered that I have more nail polish than I know what to do with. However Saturday saw me go and purchase even more. I was sent three polishes from Models Own's Diamond Luxe collection - Asscher Blue*, Heart Red* and Pear Purple* (which sadly smashed) - and when I saw the press release, I knew I had to buy Radiant Pink. 

The new collection is said to contain real diamond dust to deliver a unique, multi-dimensional super-sparkly finish. The glitter isn't too prominent - more like a subtle shimmer - which is perfect for adding a bit of sheen to the nails without it ending up looking tacky and childish. There is a total of ten shades in the collection all of which are different, unique and stunning.

In terms of formula, Models Own have nailed it again. They glide onto the nails easily and dry down to a beautiful glossy finish. I do add a final coat of the Hypergel topcoat though. The blue and the red were both opaque in just one coat whereas the pink took a bit more building up. But that wasn't an issue because they didn't apply streaky at all.

Have you tried the new collection? What do you think?
*PR Sample

_________________________________________________________________________________

Twitter|Facebook|BlogLovin|Instagram

Get a FREE personal training session here

NAILS | Models Own Sweet Shop Collection

Writing about these nail polishes now makes me incredibly sad. You see, at the minute I'm having a break from nail polish. It's my graduation in a couple of weeks and I'm trying to whip my nails into shape. Before I started this drought these were the only polishes I used. Models Own's Sweet Shop Collection* has been inspired by retro sweets - they're definitely onto a winner with this one.

Fizzy Cola Bottle, Gum Ball, Liquorice Allsorts, Pear Drops and Rhubarb and Custard. These polishes have all been infused with the scents of their named sweets and I can confirm that (most) smell delicious and replicate the scents entirely. Well, apart from Liquorice Allsorts. I hate the scent as it smells exactly like the sweets. Great if you love Liquorice Allsorts though. 

Rhubarb and Custard is a raspberry colour with small flecks of silver glitter. It's quite a textured polish but this can be sorted out with a top coat. Liquorice Allsorts is a standard black polish that's incredibly shiny - it's just a shame I don't like the smell. Pear Drops is a shade that is perfect for summer. A beautiful coral shimmer that reflects the look of the sweets perfectly. 

Sadly, my swatches were atrocious but you can have a nosey at Flails and Nails' post to see how gorgeous these polishes truly are. They're all of semi-sheer consistency and to get an opaque finish, you only need two coats. The lasting power on the shimmers is great, but I can't say anything about Liquorice Allsorts as I took it off after a few hours - the scent is bloody strong! 

Have you tried these polishes? What's your favourite from the collection?

*PR Sample

_________________________________________________________________________________

Twitter|Facebook|BlogLovin|Instagram
Get a FREE personal training session here

NAILS | Models Own Hypergel Top Coat

As someone who's rarely used a top coat before, Models Own Hypergel top coat* was revolutionary for me. Models Own claim that this polish completely transforms and updates your entire polish collection as it instantly gives your manicure a plumped up, extra glossy gel-like finish. Using lotus flower oil, this polish expertly extends the wear and duration of the manicure and uses an innovative flat, wide maxi-brush to do all of this in one easy sweep. 

Since receiving this top coat, I haven't stopped using it. It's a wonderful way to extend your nail polish's life by a couple more days, leave a beautiful glossy finish (great for transforming those matte polish) and cutting down the polish's drying time. As someone who loves painting my nails and then continuing to proceed with my day, the quick drying time of this has been life changing. No more dancing around the house, waiting for my nails to dry and holding in my wee. TMI? Retailing for just £8, this top coat is one of the most affordable ones on the market, and although I haven't tried many other ones, I simply cannot fault this one. 

What's your favourite top coat?
*PR sample
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Twitter|Facebook|BlogLovin|Instagram
Get a FREE personal training session here

Do you have a few spare pennies? Check out my Blog Sale here

NAILS | New scented releases from Models Own

When I heard that Models Own were releasing four new polishes, I think I died a little inside. The following day, all four polishes arrived at my doorstep. Despite the fact I'd promised my nails a break, I quickly applied the shades - they were too pretty not to. I won't babble on too much about Microdots and the Hypergel topcoat because they'll be getting their own post soon, but let's just say they're necessities in any collection.

Peach Melba* and Coconut Cream* are welcome additions to the brand's Fruit Pastel collection. The polishes are supposed to release a fruity scent that matches their name once dry. I must admit, I think the whole scented nails trend is quite crazy, but it's not something that'd stop be buying a polish - but it wouldn't encourage me either. Little niggle aside, these polishes are exceptional in formula; opaque in two coats, long lasting and quick drying. They simply can't be faulted. 

As for the shades themselves well, I'll let the pictures do the talking. They're beautiful and perfect for muted summer nails. Both of these shades retail for £5 each and are available on the Models Own website.

Have you tried these polishes yet? What's your favourite Models Own shade?
*PR Sample
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Twitter|Facebook|BlogLovin|Instagram
Get a FREE personal training session here

Do you have a few spare pennies? Check out my Blog Sale here

NAILS | Models Own Polish for Tans

L-R Sun Hat, Beach Bag and Flip Flop

Remember when Models Own released their Ice Neon Collection last year? Well, I absolutely fell in love. I'd never rocked neon shades before, but even now, I find myself sporting Bubblegum on my toe nails. Whereas Ice Neon was bold and bright, Polish For Tans are more muted. Still neon, but the shades are more pastel-esque. The neon colours have been mixed with a white base which balances the intensity to create a hybrid of neon-pastel hues.

There are five different shades in the collection, Flip Flop* (green), Bikini (yellow), Beach Bag* (coral), Shades (hot pink) and Sun Hat* (pink). The collection has been designed to enhance and complement a natural tan but at the moment, I'm extremely pale and these polishes instantly make me look less ghostly. My favourite shade? Beach Bag. It's extremely unique and matches the colour of my phone exactly (iPhone 5c, in case you were wondering).

As always with Models Own polishes, they're opaque in two coats and last a good five days on the nails without any chipping. They dry to a matt-ish finish but I like making them shiny with a top coat. You can buy the polishes on the Models Own website, Boots and Superdrug where they retail £5 each.

Have you tried this new collection yet? Which shade is your favourite?
*PR Sample

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Twitter|Facebook|BlogLovin|Instagram
Get a FREE personal training session here

Do you have a few spare pennies? Check out my Blog Sale here

NAILS | Models Own Speckled Eggs Collection

L-R Duck, Goose, Swan

Goose

Eeeeeeek, how beautiful are these?! My entire schedule went out of the window when I received these nail polishes. The second Models Own collection this year is a pretty pastel collection that's perfect for Spring/Summer. "Speckled Eggs" has been inspired by ornate bird egg shells and once on the nails, I'm instantly reminded of Mini Eggs. These nail polishes add some texture and dimension to your manicure with a semi-matt, mottled finish, they're too beautiful to miss out on. The names - Dove (cheeky pink), Duck (cornflower blue), Goose (mellow yellow), Magpie (mint green) and Swan (dreamy lilac) - make the collection that little bit more adorable. My favourite? Goose, of course. I love yellow nails. I've had these on my talons since Friday and so far so good... no chipping, nothing. My nails look as perfect as they did when I first applied the polish. I'm 100% addicted and I will most definitely be buying the others in the collection when they're released.

These polishes will retail for £5 each and they're launching in Models Own Bottleshops on the 8th of March, online and in Superdrug stores on the 12th of March and in Boots stores on March 19th.

What are your thoughts on this new range?
*PR Sample

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Twitter|Facebook|BlogLovin|Instagram
Get a FREE personal training session here

Do you have a few spare pennies? Check out my Blog Sale here
Only a few days left to take my dissertation surveys and enter my giveaway

NAILS | Models Own HyperGel Collection

Cornflower Gleam and Pink Veneer

You must all know by now that Models Own is without a doubt my favourite nail polish brand, right? After their surge of extensive and incredible collections in 2013, I was looking forward to seeing what the brand had to offer this new year. And boy, did they start off well. The HyperGel collection* promises a high gloss gel effect nail with a vibrant colour and pigment. There are ten new shades in the collection and the finish gives that of a professional salon manicure. 

Since receiving these polishes, they've all I've had on my nails. They're opaque in one coat, last around five days on the nails without chipping and are extremely easy to remove. The colours are all stunning - my favourite being Coral Glaze - and the ultra glossy finish is absolute perfection (and means I can skip the top coat step). I'm someone who seems to love needing the toilet after painting my nails which is usually a nightmare, but these polishes dry super quickly which means that the waiting time is minimised.

The colours available are Coral Glaze, Lilac Sheen, Cornflower Gleam, Turquoise Gloss, Pink Veneer, Naked Glow and the ones I don't own Cerise Shine, Blue Glint, White Light and Red Lustre; which all have their own corresponding lids. Retailing at just £5 each (the same price as normal Models Own polishes) this new collection is an absolute bargain in my eyes. Not only are the colours wonderful, the formula is the best I've tried and I hope they extend the range further. You can buy these polishes here.

Have you tried the HyperGel Collection yet?
*PR Sample

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Twitter|Facebook|BlogLovin|Instagram

Do you have a few spare pennies? Check out my Blog Sale here
Only a few days left to take my dissertation surveys and enter my giveaway

FREE | Models Own Glitter Kit

Everybody loves a freebie. Especially around Christmas time. And especially when that freebie is a beautiful Models Own gift. It's no secret that for me, the brand have completely changed the way I view nail polishes. No more waiting around hours for polish to dry, no more having to apply five coats in order for the polish to show and no more having to re-paint your nails every other day due to chipping. Oh no, since I've discovered Models Own, my outlook on nail polish has completely changed and now, painting my nails is fun and not a chore.

Currently at Boots, Models Own are offering a free Glitter Kit* worth £10 when you purchase any two Models Own products. And with the wonderful collections they've brought out this year, you're definitely going to be spoilt for choice. Included in the kit are: a full size nail polish in a new shade Dinky Pinky, brand new premium nail glitters in festive Gold and silver and a mini 4 way nail buffer to file, buff, smooth and shine your nails. I used this kit last night and when I came downstairs this morning, the entire house was covered in glitter - bonus! But if you are going to use the glitter, I'd recommend sprinkling them over paper and not the floor like I did... big error there. But my nails look pretty and the house looks festive so who can complain?!

This gift with purchase is available until the 21st of January in Boots stores nationwide. You can browse the entire Models Own range here. You can view all of my Models Own reviews in my product directory here.

Will you be purchasing two Models Own products in order to receive this freebie?

*PR Sample

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Twitter|Facebook|BlogLovin|Instagram
Do you have a few spare pennies? Check out my Blog Sale here

CHRISTMAS | KIKO Satin Nail Lacquer Set

Wearing Rose Taupe and Carmine Red

With Christmas just around the corner, it was inevitable that I was going to feature a couple of Christmas gift sets on Bamboozle Beauty. I didn't, however, plan to do a Christmas series like I did last year. But when a couple of beautiful gift sets appeared through my letterbox by my favourite brand KIKO, I couldn't not mention them. 

The Satin Nail Lacquer Set* includes eight limited edition nail polishes with micro pearls. The formula of these polishes - as always with KIKO - is outstanding. They're opaque in one coat, the brush makes the polish easy to apply and the finish is intense, strong and glossy. The set includes the colours Rose Taupe, Rose Coral, True Red, Dark Cherry, Carmine Red, Cobalt Blue and Lawn Green - a nice variety of pinks, red, blues and nudes. And my favourites are without a doubt Rose Taupe and Lawn Green.

You can buy this gift set here for £19.90 which is absolute bargain. It makes the polishes less than £2.50 each and considering the quality, it's incredible. You can browse the entire Christmas collection here and I'll be featuring another KIKO gift set very soon.

What do you think about this gift set? What other KIKO gift sets have caught your eye?
*PR Sample

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Twitter|Facebook|BlogLovin|Instagram
Do you have a few spare pennies? Check out my Blog Sale here

NAILS | Models Own Velvet Goth Collection

L-R Sardonyx, Absinthe, Obsidian

L-R Sardonyx, Absinthe, Obsidian

Sardonyx

Absinthe

Obsidian

L-R Sardonyx, Absinthe, Obsidian

The Models Own collections are coming in thick and fast and after falling in love with Fireworks collection, I found myself loving the Velvet Goth collection even more. The first noticeable difference with these nail polishes is the beautiful bottles - with limited edition, colour-matched velvet caps they stand out from the rest of the Models Own polishes in my collection and gives them an instant luxe feel.

The polishes themselves are without a doubt stunning. Dark and mysterious these polishes leave a gorgeous 2D finish that's matte and sparkly at the same time. When they're first applied, they appear glossy but they dry down to a beautiful matte finish that emphasises the glitter inside of them. If you do prefer a glossy finish though you can easily add a top coat to these versatile polishes - I can't decide which finish I prefer.

As you can probably tell, I had a lot of issues photographing the polish. I tried in every lighting condition, different positions, different days - everything but nope, the photos never did the polish justice. So instead, I recommend checking out Fee's post here as her swatches are beautiful and true to colour. There's no doubting how stunning, original and perfect for autumn these bottles of joy are.

The collection boasts five different shades including: Valerian (a rich bottle blue), Sardonyx* (a blood scarlet red), Amethyst (a royal purple), Absinthe* (a burst of deep emerald green) and Obsidian* (a deep charcoal grey). Out of the three polishes I have my favourite has to be Obsidian - the most beautiful black I've ever seen that has fine glitter and bigger sequins inside of it - truly mesmerising. 

The polishes retail for £5.00 each and are available now from the Models Own Bottleshop, the Models Own website from 2nd September, Boots stores from 4th September and Superdrug stores from the 25th September.

And that's the end of nail week. I hope you've enjoyed it! Do let me know which collection out of the bunch is your favourite.

What are your thoughts on this collection? Which shade is your favourite?
*PR Sample

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Twitter|Facebook|BlogLovin|Instagram

Do you have a few spare pennies? Check out my Blog Sale here
Enter my giveaway to be in with a chance of winning a bottle of Beetox

Want to attend the Lincoln blogger meet up? Find out more information here

NAILS | KIKO

Thumb, middle and pinky: KIKO's Laser Nail Lacquer in 27, Index and ring: KIKO's Multi Effect Nail Lacquer in 06

Thumb, middle and pinky: KIKO's Laser Nail Lacquer in 27, Index and ring: KIKO's Multi Effect Nail Lacquer in 06

There couldn't be a Bamboozle Beauty nail week without a KIKO post. The brand is one that I've quickly come to love - their products are outstanding, their prices are incredible and their collections are even better. When it comes to their nail polishes, I've never been let down and their Sun Pearl Nail Lacquer in Amable Chartreuse is one of my all time favourite colours. So when these two polishes popped through my postbox, I immediately removed my current polish and whacked these on.

Laser Nail Lacquer in 27* - £4.90

From KIKO's stunning Autumn collection (blog post coming soon) comes the Laser Nail Lacquer which has special lightening effects that packs a punch when the light catches it. You can't see the effect that well in the swatch above as the sun was reflecting off of the pearls constantly so the effect became blurred in photos but you can see how shiny and delicious the polish is. The great thing about KIKO polishes is that the colour is instant and one coat is most definitely enough - the swatch above shows just one coat and it's without a doubt full intensity. It dries nice and quickly and lasts a couple of days without any chip wear. The Laser Nail Laquers are available in 6 dark and sultry colours that are a lovely Autumn addition.

Multi Effect Nail Lacquer in 06* - £5.90

I thought that these Multi Effect Nail Lacquers were going to be very interesting however, I'm a little bit confused by them. These nail polish duos have a full shade colour on one side and a glossy semi-sheer colour on the other. KIKO claim that you can create three different looks by varying the application. However, I can't seem to work this out. The red is no doubt stunning on its own but the glossy colour is the one I don't understand. I swatched it on its own and it just turned my nails a semi sheer yellow colour and when I swatched it on top of the red, it didn't do anything - it just acted like a top coat. On the plus side, like with all KIKO polish, the application is easy and the colour dries quickly and lasts a couple of days so I can't fault that. I'm just a bit confused about how this polish works. These polishes are available in 10 pairs of colours and if you've tried them, please do let me know how you got on with them. They're an interesting concept and I'm confused as to whether or not they don't work or I'm just being silly.

Have you tried KIKO polishes before? Which out of the two is your favourite?
*PR Sample

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Twitter|Facebook|BlogLovin|Instagram

Do you have a few spare pennies? Check out my Blog Sale here
Enter my giveaway to be in with a chance of winning a bottle of Beetox

Want to attend the Lincoln blogger meet up? Find out more information here

NAILS | Models Own Firework Collection

L-R Banger, Rocket, Sparkler, Roman Candle, Catherine Wheel

L-R Banger, Rocket, Sparkler, Roman Candle, Catherine Wheel

Banger

Rocket

Sparkler

Roman Candle

Catherine Wheel

L-R Banger, Rocket, Sparkler, Roman Candle, Catherine Wheel

Models Own can do no wrong and their latest collection proves this. Inspired by the 5th of November, these glitter polishes have been packed full of numerous glitters in varying shapes and sizes that really explode on the nails. The collection boasts five different polishes (which I've swatched above for you on a nude polish - Rimmel's Salon Pro with Lycra in 227 New Romantic to be exact): Banger* (five glitters incl. long blue strands and fuchsia polka dots), Rocket* (seven glitters incl. long red strands, a fine black and gold base with orange polka dots), Sparkler* (holographic glitter strands), Roman Candle* (six glitters incl. black and silver strands with a fuchsia polka base) and Catherine Wheel* (four glitters incl. mini gold strands and red polka dots). The swatches above show one thick coat of polish so you can see how well it covers and although the glitters are buildable, I don't believe you'd need any more than one coat. My favourite of the bunch has to be Roman Candle - it's absolutely beautiful and the black, silver and fuchsia go wonderfully together.

The polishes retail for £5.00 each and are available now from the Models Own Bottleshop, the Models Own website from 2nd September, Boots stores from 4th September and Superdrug stores from the 25th September.

What are your thoughts on this collection? Which shade is your favourite?
*PR Sample

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Twitter|Facebook|BlogLovin|Instagram

Do you have a few spare pennies? Check out my Blog Sale here
Enter my giveaway to be in with a chance of winning a bottle of Beetox

Want to attend the Lincoln blogger meet up? Find out more information here