CHEAP AND HEALTHY SNACKS THAT WILL STOP YOUR CRAVINGS

So, you've clicked on this post and now you're wondering what snacks can be 1. yummy, 2. healthy, and 3. cheap all at the same time? Well sit back and relax hun, because you're in for a treat (no pun intended)! I usually do my food shopping in Tesco as it's close to my workplace and house, but since I'm moving to a new place in September my closest shop will be Aldi (I'm very happy about this). As you can see, these things were all bought at Aldi on my recent trip for some vegetables but as you can see the trip took a different turn and I ended up buying some goodies - #NoRegrets.

Ever since trying Popchips for the first time in my life this year (and loving them obviously), and hearing from many influencers that Aldi does a cheaper version I had to try some out. They come in two flavours - BBQ and Sour Cream & Chive - the BBQ are my and Kieran's favourite, and at only £1.29 they're a bargain! Aldi's Pop Outs are made with a lot less fat and are actually a healthy alternative to regular crisps so you can still enjoy yourself and indulge in some heavenly crisp sandwiches.

Talking about a crisp heaven, I came across these sweet chili gluten free rice cakes which are AMAZING. I've always been a big fan of rice cakes and usually tend to go for slightly salted rice cakes or plain with a bit of peanut butter to taste but these are great on their own as either a lunchtime or late-night snack. As I mentioned above, these are also gluten free so anyone can enjoy them! - they also come in a few different flavours but this one sounded the most appetising to me, and at only 79p per packet you cannot go wrong!

I used to be obsessed with peanut butter but since literally over-dosing on it a couple of years ago I stopped buying it and would only have it on special occasions. When I came across this wonderful jar of Wholenut Smooth Peanut Butter which has no added sugar, I had to buy it. It's great on toast, mixed in a smoothie or protein shake, with porridge - the combinations are endless! It tastes very nutty which I personally love and know that even Kieran will eat it if it's mixed in with his food! I believe this only cost me £1.29 on offer with the usual price being around £1.50 which s still very affordable.

Cacao powder was on my shopping list for a while but I wasn't going to buy any until we had settled in our new flat but seeing it in Aldi for only £1.99 I had to buy it - come on now! It only has 37 calories per 10 grams which is pretty good, especially if you like to add it to unflavoured protein or porridge. I bought it to make a healthier version of brownies or granola bars that taste good so my little brother and sister can enjoy them as well as the adults.

I feel like I've saved the best 'til last! These are honestly the best brownie bars I have ever tried and believe me when I say I've tried a LOT 😳 They are gluten free, soya free, vegetarian, and it says milk free so I guess they're also vegan? But make sure you check the ingredients list before you buy them as they may contain some traces of animal produce. It's like they're a cheaper version of the Nakd bars which are pricey but oh-so-delicious! I believe these only cost £1.49 for 3 bars so it comes up to 50p per bar which for a healthy snack is fantastic - my university sells a piece of fruit for 80p so I'd much rather stock up on these and carry a packet around in my handbag to snack on inbetween lectures for an instant energy boost.

Have you tried any of the snacks I mentioned above? Did any of them tickle your fancy? I know for a fact that I'll be getting some more of these during our weekly food shop as you can't go wrong with tasty, healthy AND cheap snacks like these.

Lots of love,

Maya xo

OOTD || GLAM BEACH LOOK - DAY TO NIGHT SUMMER HOLIDAYS OUTFIT

If you've already read my What To Do In The UK During Summer Holidays post then you'd know that I recently went down to the British seaside and managed to get some nice shots taken. I didn't know the weather was going to be as nice as it was (I'm sure it came up to around 30 degrees) so I would have maybe worn a playsuit, however, I feel like this dress was perfect as it's floaty and made from thin material so it turned out as the perfect outfit!

Ever since receiving this gorgeous kimono for Christmas a few years ago, I've been obsessed with it and wear it all the time in warmer weather when it's too hot for a proper jacket but not warm enough to go without one. I believe it was in the Topshop sale for around £15-£20, so it was very affordable for a statement piece that I've been loving for years!

My cute little marble bag has made an appearance in a previous post which you can find here. I love a statement micro bag - these are huge this year as mentioned by the lovely ladies at a bloggers event in Nottingham. This gorgeous bag was only £6 from Primark which my lovely mum has bought for me on a shopping trip a while back.

This dress is honestly one of the prettiest items I've ever bought from Primark - yup, you heard it right - PRIMARK! I had seen it on Instagram and was hoping to find it in store and when I did, boy was I happy! At only £13 this is definitely a must-have this Summer. I'm not sure if there will be any left as when I bought mine there were only a few sizes left, but if you're lucky enough to find one I would suggest trying on a size down as it does come up big!

My huge hat is also from Primark, I believe it was only £3!

Have you been to Primark recently? Did you come across any bargains?

Lots of love,

Maya xo

REVIEW || URBAN DECAY NAKED ILLUMINATED SHIMMERING POWDER FOR FACE AND BODY

I feel like this product has been so hyped about since it came out that I felt compelled to buy it and try it out for myself. I chose the shade Luminous as I felt it was best suited to my skin tone (I'm naturally very pale). The most popular shade I believe is 'Aura' but I felt that it was slightly too dark for me, but it is very beautiful as my sister has it and I love looking at it!

I feel like it is very impractical for travelling or even carrying around in a handbag as it's very bulky - it's the size of like three of the UD Afterglow highlighters! Don't get me wrong, I think that the packaging is absolutely beautiful (you go UD!), it looks lovely on display especially if I had the whole set (just you wait, it'll probably happen haha).

As you can see in the picture above, the highlight shade is very subtle and compliments my pale skin tone, however, I feel like it's too light for me as I do enjoy an intense highlight. For the price tag of £24, I expected a lot more from this product than what is offered, so I am very disappointed in the colour payoff as it's nowhere near as good as the Aura shade which is annoying, but then again it's my own fault for buying a product without looking into it first or giving it a swatch! If you're seriously thinking about buying this highlighter then I suggest you try it out in-store - ask a staff member to put some on for you or even swatch it at the back of your hand. Learn from my mistake!

*This post contains affiliate links.

Have you tried the Naked Illuminated Highlighters? If so, would you recommend it?

Lots of love,

Maya xo

REVIEW || L.A. GIRL PRO CONCEAL HD CONCEALER & GIVEAWAY

I finally joined the bandwagon and bought the L.A. Girl Pro Concealer, it only took me a couple of years haha... A new beauty shop opened up recently in the city so of course I had to go in and see what they were selling! To my surprise, I found a lot of L.A. Girl products as well as Milani and many others. I believe these retail at £3.50 so I thought I'd go for the lightest shade (obviously) and a slightly darker shade to use as a contour shade.

The shades I went for are 'Toast' and 'Porcelain'. At only £3.50 each, these are very affordable and come in a large variety of shades for all skin tones. The formula is very thick and creamy which is great if you're after a full coverage concealer however, it is quite hard to blend out and I find that there isn't a lot of product in the tubes which is disappointing but what can you expect for a product that costs £3.50?

Here are the concealers swatched on the back of my hand. I'm wearing fake tan in this picture hence why the lighter shade looks so bright, but I must admit that it is still light enough to use to highlight my face when I'm not wearing any fake tan. I find the contour shade a little bit harder to blend unless I use a wet beauty sponge and then set it with a powder contour.

Overall, I think that these are worth giving a go as they blend out nicely and the colour range is big so there's something for everyone. On the other hand, it did annoy me that I had used the product once and half the tube was gone, but it was cheap and should last a fair amount of time.

You're probably wondering about the giveaway - well, I decided to give away an L.A. Girl Pro Concealer to 5 lucky readers! The rules are as follows:

1. You must be 16+ years of age to enter.

2. Giveaway accounts will not be entered into the giveaway.

3. All accounts must be public, otherwise I will not be able to contact you if you're the winner.

Good luck to all!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Have you tried any of the L.A. Girl products? If so, which ones?

Lots of love,

Maya xo

2017 || JUNE FAVOURITES

June was yet an another big month full of new products for me to try out. I got my hands on some amazing limited edition products from MAC as well as my very first Milani product, but my favourite thing about June was finishing second year of university and getting a very good grade too! Happy days!

Unfortunately, June has also brought many devastating events such as the Grenfell Tower fire, the Finsbury Park attack, and many more terrible, terrible events. This month will definitely not be forgotten and my love and sympathy are with those affected by the terrible events. However, I don't want this post to be depressing and uneasy to read as we should all try to move on and share love around the world, so let's get into it.

Were coloured mascaras ever a proper thing? I remember experimenting with different colours when I was younger and going to school discos, but now it's so rare to find a wearable shade that isn't too 'in your face'. Ever since discovering the YSL Luxurious Mascara False Lash Effect in the shade Extreme Blue, I was hooked and can safely say this is my favourite summer mascara. I think the blue really complements my eye colour, especially if worn with bronze eyeshadows and a bit of liner.

Most of you probably already know that I'm a massive sucker for pretty packaging, so when I saw that MAC brought out a new Summer collection including a coconut scented Fix+, I knew I had to buy it. So, quite naturally I picked up the Fix+ which smells absolutely divine, and also this cute Hawaiian looking bronzer which makes a perfect addition to my little collection. I've said it before and will stick to it, that MAC's limited edition packaging is over-rated however, I still fall for it every time... Being a huge fan of anything coconut scented and the original Fix+ spray I knew that it was a no-brainer that I'll love this newbie (I wasn't wrong - it is amazing). On the other hand, the bronzer is so beautiful to look at that I haven't given it a proper go yet as I'm scared I'll ruin the pretty pattern! I bet I sound so whiny but I just love the pattern too much! I was the same when it came to my Elizabeth Arden bronzer but now I've used it plenty of times.

I've not tried a lot of Lancome products but the ones I have tested out were pretty damn good. Who doesn't love a new fragrance? When my mum gifted me with the Lancome La Vie Est Belle I was very happy and surprised with how much I actually loved it. Not only was I intrigued by the perfume because of the beautiful Julia Roberts who is the face of Lancome, but also because of the unique shape of the bottle and its not-so-old-fashioned scent as I expected it to be.

Finally, the star of the month. I must admit that I've not been a religious user of blushers these past few years of me using makeup however, I started to get back into wearing blusher recently and this little guy has completely won me over that I NEED the whole collection like, right now, please! I bought the shade 'Tea Rose' which is very cool-toned and I thought it'll work best with my skin tone without making me look too flushed or unnatural. I have my eyes on the other shades, so who knows maybe I'll feature another one in my next monthly favourites?

What have you been loving last month? Have you tried any of the products mentioned above?

Lots of love,

Maya xo