Make up

Thursday 17 June 2021

BEAUTY || KIKO MILANO COSMETICS LIPLINERS SHADES & SWATCHES

England, UK
Kiko cosmetics lip pencil review - the best affordable lip liners.

If you are looking for good quality and affordable lip liners then you've clicked on the right post! Over the years I have spent hundreds of pounds on lip liners (I would be going into thousands if I mentioned lipsticks 😳), and I can confidently say that I've found the best liners out there for a very affordable price of just £2.99. 
I understand that if you're on a tight budget or don't have much disposable income that you will be seeking the cheapest products out there, but you must be aware of the actual ingredients of the products and their performance - hence why I think that Kiko Milano's Smart Fusion Lip Pencils are 100% worth more than what they are!

Saturday 25 July 2020

REVIEW || MAC MINERALIZE SKINFINISH IN SOFT & GENTLE, MINERALIZE SKINFINISH NATURAL IN LIGHT, AND MINERALIZE SKINFINISH NATURAL IN GIVE ME SUN!



I have been wanting to try all three of these products for many years now, and have finally treated myself to all of them. At a high price tag I've put off trying these products for so long, and now with my spending ban I wasn't really allowed to treat myself either; but when I was given some credit to use on my employee online staff shop I just had to treat myself to these (unnecessary) items.

Sunday 6 October 2019

REVIEW || LANCOME HYPNOSE MASCARA & LANCOME BONUS TIME - IS THIS THE ONLY TIME YOU SHOULD PURCHASE LANCOME PRODUCTS?

United Kingdom


Lancôme is one of the most known and loved high-end beauty brands out there and there is a good reason for it. They sell their Hypnose mascara every 15 seconds across Europe and you can’t blame people for stocking up on this beauty.

I don’t want to give too much away from this review just yet so carry on reading for my opinion on this mascara and whether it’s worth your money.



The packaging:
I believe that the brand is known for its very luxurious and sleek packaging and this product does not disappoint. The mascara handle is narrow on the tip making it easy to grip and manoeuvre for the most precise application. I like holding the mascara by the tip to add on extra volume after applying the first coat.
The wand is quite thick with a lot of bristles for more precise application. The bristles are quite short which allows the wand to get very close to the lash line for a ‘false-lash with liner’ effect.

The formula:
The formula of the Hypnose mascara is different to most I’ve tried before as it applies absolutely beautifully from the first use up until the last, meaning that even when it dries out it still works just as well as it did the very first time I used it. The product doesn't feel sticky, it feels more smooth and creamy to touch (yes, I have touched the actual mascara to check the texture).

The longevity:
I have currently been using the travel size version of it which I received as a part of the free gift with purchase, and I must say it has lasted me nearly two months! I was told that a full-size mascara should be replenished every 8-10 weeks because of the hygiene reasons and best effect but it can usually last me around 4 months with daily use so I tend to pick up two every time they’re on gift! The product itself lasts all day/night long on my lashes and doesn't seem to wear off at all. Having very fair blonde lashes I find some mascaras difficult to cover my full lashes as no products ever seem to reach the roots of my lashes, but this mascara is definitely the best one I have tried so far that gently combs over my natural lash and defines my eyes without clumping.

The Overall Verdict:
Obviously, if you are reading this review then you are already considering whether to purchase the Hypnose mascara or not. Let me make this decision a lot easier for you - BUY IT. Try it out, if you don't like it or feel like it's not doing anything for you then return it back to the retailer, but I promise you that you will not be disappointed with this product. £25 might seem like a lot to spend on a mascara but this can last you up to 6 months which will only make it £4.30ish a month which will actually save you a lot of money as you don't need many coats of the product for the desired effect, but you might go through one drugstore mascara a month which will cost you £10-£12 a month.





Lancome Bonus Time - Gift with Purchase
To be honest with you, I didn't even know what 'gift with purchase' was until I started working in the beauty industry. I always assumed that high-end makeup brands never offered any samples or gifts, so I stayed within my budget and continued to purchase drugstore branded makeup. After finding out about the bonus time I was in shock because you could actually receive nearly £200 worth of free gift just by picking up your favourite products! I know I will most likely only purchase Lancome products when they have bonus time unless I run out of my beloved Hypnose mascara then I will just have to buy it anyway, but I know it's worth every penny!

I usually buy my makeup from House of Fraser in Nottingham as I want to support my friends and their businesses in the store. I believe that Lancome has bonus time twice a year - once in March and once in September. This year was the first year I bought enough Lancome items in one transaction to qualify for the free gift with my purchase. In March I bought two sets of the Hypnose mascara as I know how much I love the product and as the third item I bought the Honey Foaming Cleanser which melts makeup away (it's great).

As a free gift, I received:
- full-size Micellar water £23.50
- full-size Rose Sugar scrub £30
- travel size Hypnose mascara £8
- travel size Genifique serum £11
- sample size Teint Idole Ultra Wear foundation £5.50
- travel size La Vie Est Belle perfume £7
- travel size Absolue day cream £39
- travel size Absolue night cream £45
- travel size lipstick £10

More recently, in September, I purchased a Monsieur Big mascara set, Gel Eclat cleansing gel, and Creme Mousse foaming face wash. This time I already knew that I really liked the honey cleanser and thankfully it was a part of the free gift this time around so I thought I'd try something else.

As a free gift, I received:
- full-size Honey Foaming Cleanser £24
- full-size Hydra Zen Jelly mask £31
- travel size Hypnose mascara £8
- travel size Genifique serum £11
- sample size Teint Idole Ultra Wear foundation £5.50
- travel size Hydra Zen day cream £12
- travel size Hydra Zen night cream £13
- travel size comforting toner £8.50

I really hope that this post has helped you decide if Hypnose if the best mascara for you, I absolutely love it and I can't imagine myself replacing it with any other mascara, but I cannot wait to try the Monsieur Big mascara as this is my Mum's favourite.

Have you tried any of the products mentioned above? Would you recommend any other Lancome items for me to try for my next purchase?

Lots of love,
Maya xo

Thursday 16 February 2017

REVIEW || GIORGIO ARMANI LIGHT MASTER PRIMER



Remember the craze over MAC's Strobe Cream? Well, that's how I felt about this primer as I was buying it - to add a natural and radiant glow to my skin. I had also bought the Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk foundation (read my review here), so I thought it'd be best to get the 'matching' primer and try both out!

The Giorgio Armani Light Master Primer sounds like the perfect match for the Luminous Silk foundation, even though my skin gets quite oily throughout the day in my T-zone, I still decided to buy it and try it out as I love their products.

I love love love the packaging. It looks and feels expensive - probably because it bloody was hahaha. The bottle is rather big so you get a lot of product for your money.

The consistency is quite thick. I expected it to be slightly more like a liquid highlighter but I'm kind of glad it's thicker because it shows that it's supposed to work as an illuminating primer, rather than a liquid highlight. I was confused at first and didn't know whether to apply it all over my face or to the high points of it. Then after trying it out a few times - each time being different, I decided to apply it to places where my face is quite dull and needs a little bit of shine.

I came to the conclusion that this primer is great for illuminating dull skin, however, I don't think it helps my makeup stay on longer like a proper primer should... I'd say try it out for yourself, but there are many great dupes which are much more affordable, such as the L'oreal Infallible Primer Shots Luminising Primer.

*The Light Master Primer has been replaced by the Luminous Silk Hydrating Primer. This post contains affiliate links.

Have you tried the Light Master Primer? If so, what did you think of it?

Lots of love,
Maya xo

Thursday 24 March 2016

Review || Nars Illuminator in Orgasm

Good Morning Everyone!

I've been wanting to try Nars cosmetics for a while now and I finally plucked up the courage to go and buy some! My initial thought was "wow there are so many things to choose from, and I want all of them!" But I calmed myself down and decided to buy one thing that day and went for their illuminator in the shade Orgasm. 


As you can see, the tube is quite big meaning you get a lot of product for your money. I have been obsessing over highlighters for quite some time now and have recently purchased two highlighting 
palettes from Sleek - you can read my review here.


You get 30ml for £23 which should last for a long time, depending on how much product you use and how often you reach for it. For example, I mix a bit of it with my foundation for a natural glow and also dab it onto my skin as a blusher and highlight in one due to the pinkish colour.


It is very hand and easy to use. All you need to use is your finger! It is very blendable and gives a lovely natural shimmery glow to any complexion. I would highly recommend to mix it with a mattifying foundation as not only do you get a great matte finish and full coverage but also a natural glow - seems like a dream!


I have squeezed out a generous amount of the product to show you the colour of it - it's very orangey-pink with shimmer, just like Nars' blush in the same shade. I would say that this is the amount that I would use to mix with my foundation and use the left over to put over my cheek bones. So like I've said, you get a lot of product for the price and it'll last for a while.


The texture is very smooth yet watery. It almost feels like unset jelly, which makes it easy to apply and blend.


This is how the product looks like applied on the skin - it  pigmented as I had used a bit too much product and it was very hard to try and rub it into my skin! But as you can see, it gives a beautiful glow with lots of shimmer.

Do you own any Nars products? Have you tried their illuminators?

Lots of love,
Maya xo
© VOGUE BY MAYA. Design by Fearne.