FOTD || EVERYDAY AUTUMNAL EASY GLAM MAKEUP LOOK

Autumn is definitely my favourite season of the year, even though I love Summer because it usually means that I get to travel somewhere nice, but Autumn is the season of cosy clothes and nice smelling candles. What I'm looking forward to the most is being able to wear dark lipstick and dark eyeshadow without getting judged by people - no, I am not a goth.

I don't necessarily think that this is a very dark or gothic look, but for me, this is the perfect Autumnal makeup look for my skin tone and hair colour. It is very flattering and easy to create, and here are the items I had used to create it:

The eyeshadows I had used include: NYX shadow in the shade Immaculate, and MUG shadows in shades Grandstand, Morocco, and Bitten. I wanted to wear a bit of eyeliner to make this look a bit more glam, but I'm out of practice and found this look glam enough to leave it as it is! The magic mascara that I've been obsessing over since the first use is the Lancome Hypnose Mascara. I love this one for elongating and volumising my lashes, it's got amazing coverage to it and I find that only one coat is enough for a full look.

If you've been after a full coverage foundation that isn't extortionate, then you need to try the L'Oreal Total Cover foundation, like, now. It glides on very smoothly and feels like velvet on my skin which is always a plus because who wouldn't want baby-soft skin? I find that the coverage of this product is very high - but I won't get into it too much as I'd like to save it for a full review. Of course, I had to use my current favourite concealer and contour shade, both by L.A. Girl as these work amazingly and the price is very much affordable! To set my foundation in place, I used the Collection Primed & Ready Invisible Setting Powder which works wonders for my combination skin, especially the oily t-zone. My favourite bronzer since 2015 has to be Hoola by Benefit which has actually lasted me nearly 2 years when I've been using it every day, so it's definitely worth the high price tag. To brighten up my face, I use my favourite Milani blusher in shade Tea Rose and Sleek highlighter in Midas Touch - I mix the pink and the white together for a blinding, yet natural highlight. My current go-to lipstick is the Colourpop Ultra Matte Lipstick in shade LAX, which was obviously applied over my favourite lip balm from Carmex.

As you can see, the majority of tools I had used to create this makeup look are by Real Techniques as they truly do amazing brushes, and I cannot wait to complete my collection! I also really want to try the Bold Metals collection, but because they're quite pricey I think I'll wait until Father Christmas pays a visit to my house! I also included a brush from MAC and Colourpop which are some of my all-time favourites.

*This post includes gifted items - all opinions are my own and are in no way influenced at all.

Have you caught up with my monthly favourites post? What's your favourite autumnal makeup look? Would you try this one out?

Lots of love,

Maya xo

2017 || MAY FAVOURITES

For me, May was a good month full of amazing new beauty products I got to try out! I love trying out new things, as well as using up old products haha - I don't know if it's just me but I find it so satisfying to use up products and chuck out the empty packaging??

First up, we've got my beautiful Vivienne Westwood Orb Earrings which I received for my birthday from the other half. I love them so much and try to get a lot of wear out of them but they're so precious I'm scared to lose them :( One of my close friends lost her VW earring down the sink, so imagine how painful that must have been for her!!

The fragrance I've been constantly using throughout the month of May is Viktor & Rolf's Flowerbomb - come on now, the clue is in the name haha, it's the most perfect scent for spring! I love the cute bottle, it comes very handy if you're travelling as the bottle is easy to store.

I don't know about you but I've never really seen/heard any makeup gurus rave about any high-end face powders but when I got my hands on this little number by Lancome my life literally changed haha. The packaging, for one, is gorgeous. I love the lid - it screams expensive. This powder was a part of a limited edition collection for Christmas in 2014 called 'Parisian Lights' and has bits of shimmer in it. I got this from my mum as she works in makeup and is lucky enough to get her hands on LE stock that can't be sold to the public anymore - sort of like Bicester village.

Another one of my May favourites was the Makeup Revolution Contour Palette. This bad boy only retails at £3.50 (last time I checked anyway). It comes in a cute compact with a mirror, a cool-toned bronzer shade, bright highlighter and rose-gold blusher. I've already used up one of these but the one I had before didn't come with a mirror which makes me feel like this one might be slightly more expensive, but most likely still very affordable. My favourite part of this palette is probably the highlighter as it is BLINDING. It looks great on my pale skin which is hard to find, to begin with, so if it shows up crazy bright on my skin tone you can only imagine how piercing it'd look on darker skin tones. The blusher reminds me a lot of Nars' Orgasm but for a fraction of the price. The bronzing shade is also great for those who prefer cool-toned contour shades over warmer shades.

What best way to tone up than using a Firming Anti-Cellulite Gel?! Haha don't get me wrong, this isn't going to make you look like Rihanna but it will help reduce the appearance of cellulite wherever you desire to get rid of it. I've been using this for a while now and have noticed a slight difference in the cellulite on my thighs. I've also been trying to drink more water and work out harder at the gym so I can gladly say my Summer body is coming along nicely! (Update: 16/02/2021 - I was very obsessed with having to look a certain way and have since become confident in my own skin and would never recommend a cellulite 'removing' product as 1. this cannot be done, and 2. cellulite is normal!!!)

Last, but not least the Benefit It's Potent Eye Cream - the saviour. I had a lot of deadlines and a few exams in May so it resulted in many sleepless nights thus making my eyes very puffy. This cream is amazing and I have raved about it many times before so if you'd like a further read on it, check my post here.

*This post contains some affiliate links.

What have you loved in May? Did you have any important deadlines to meet or exams?

Lots of love,

Maya xo

THE TWO BENEFIT PRODUCTS WHICH CAN BE A HIT OR A MISS

I have always been a big fan of the Benefit Porefessional, so when I found out that the product range was expanding I knew I had to try something out. I chose the Licence to Blot (discontinued) as I've not heard much about it and it sounds like a dream, right? Also, it was rather affordable for £14 (at the time) unlike the other products from that range.

Of course, Benefit's packaging is always 10/10 so I won't say much about it other than I love it. The product on the other hand, not so much...
It says to use under or over makeup, but from the reviews on their website I saw people complain about it moving their makeup around too much when used over foundation, so I knew I had to try it under my foundation but over the primer to see best results.

It says that it's an 'oil-blotting stick' but I don't think it is haha 😂😂 It actually makes my face more oily if that's even possible?? I was so disappointed with this product that I know for a fact I won't re-purchase it again and sort of don't want to use it now either... HUGE disappointment, as I really do love the original Porefessional!

On the other hand, the Dandelion Shy Beam (discontinued) has been a huge hit for me. I've heard a lot of people moan about this product saying it doesn't do anything for them because they like a blinding highlight, but why complain when it clearly says subtle MATTE highlighter? I think this is perfect for those with acne-prone skin, as it doesn't bring too much attention to pimples or imperfections on the skin which is a win-win for me.
I also think it's great for pale skin as it is a lighter shade with a pink undertone, which looks great on in Winter. I would also suggest wearing it to school if you're not allowed to wear a lot of makeup as it gives a lovely and natural glow without looking too extreme.

*This post contains affiliate links.

Have you ever been disappointed with a Benefit product? If so, which one did not work for you, and which one do you swear by?

Lots of love,

Maya xo

WHAT'S IN MY SPRING MINI CROSS-BODY BAG?

I recently got a new cute little cross-body bag, so what better post to share with you than a 'what's inside my bag'?

As you can see, the bag is quite small but I have the powers of Mary Poppins and can always find enough room to shove all my things in, haha! My purse takes up the most room in my bag and I didn't want to replace it with a smaller coin purse as I never know how many cards I will need! (By this I mean loyalty/membership/gift cards - not debit/credit cards!!)

Another essential for me is a pair of sunglasses. I'm not sure if you're all aware but I do have to wear prescription glasses and my eyes tend to get really dry and sensitive in daylight so I always carry a pair of sunnies with me everywhere I go. I got these marble ones from Primark for only £3! What a bargain!

My house keys need to be on me 24/7 otherwise, I panic haha. Once I thought I wasn't able to go to work because I couldn't find my keys when I actually hung them up on my pinboard... :'). Now I always keep them in sight - either in my bag when I'm out, or on the table next to the front door.

I used to carry around a makeup bag with a full-face of goodies inside when I was at school & college, but now I can't be bothered to carry all the weight when I'm constantly on the go with an already heavy bag. Now I narrow it down to 2-3 products and this Spring I've been loving my Benefit Porefessional License to Blot Stick (now discontinued), any of the NYX Soft Matte Lip Creams, and a small bottle of perfume - this time is the Ted Baker XO Extraordinary fragrance.

Of course, my phone is going to find its way in my bag, haha. I use it to take some pictures for my social media when I carry a small bag around but hopefully, I'll be upgrading to a new phone soon(ish) so I won't have to drag my big camera around everywhere with me anymore.


*This post contains affiliate links.

What have you got in your bag this Spring? Any essentials you can't live without?

Lots of love,

Maya xo

2017 || JANUARY FAVOURITES

Oh, have I been spoilt for my birthday this year! Turning 21 really does mean you get old - but we only get better and wiser with age!

During my birthday month, I was enjoying the Lovestruck perfume by Vera Wang which I was kindly gifted by my other half. I really love the scent of it, it's very fresh and feminine - perfect for the Spring.

Of course, a nail varnish had to make my top 5! I've gone back to my old trusty Barry M in the shade 04. I can only wear nude nails for work (boring I know) and I've been loving this matte little number. You only need one coat and it covers the nail bed perfectly! I would definitely recommend this shade for those who like a cool-toned nude.

Benefit always manages to amaze me with their products. As soon as Dandelion Shy Beam came out, I knew I had to bag it up. It's the most perfect matte highlighter for pale gals like me. It looks beautiful on its own as well as with a dust of powder highlight on top. I would recommend this to everyone who has problems with finding the perfect highlighter for them! - Don't let the price tag put you off, as this is very worth it!

Colourpop is one of my favourite affordable brands, but it costs a fortune to have it shipped to England! :( I've only made one order with them so far, but I will definitely be buying more of their products for sure. I have been using the Ultra Satin Lip in shade Barracuda nearly every day. It is a beautiful pink shade which suits all skin types and feels great on the lips. It's not drying at all and I found that it doesn't smudge throughout the day - ding ding ding, we've got a winner!
Another one of my favourites is their eyeshadows (all shades tbh!). I don't remember the name of this shade, but honestly, the pigment and consistency of these are amazing! If you can get your hands on any of Colourpop products then I would definitely suggest getting the pressed pigments.

What have you been loving this January? Have you tried any of the products mentioned above?

Lots of love,

Maya xo