2017 || AUGUST FAVOURITES

August wasn't the best of months for beauty products for me, but I did manage to find some products that I loved - including an app which I never really mention on here. The one makeup product that I loved was the L'oreal Infallible Total Cover Foundation in shade Porcelain (yup, I'm that pale). I must say that this is one of the best full coverage drugstore foundations I have ever used and reminds me of this high-end product. As August was a bit of a hit-or-miss month when it came to the weather, I was loving Carmex's Lime Twist lip balm to hydrate my dry lips. I love the scent and flavour of this little gem, as well as the tingly feeling it leaves on my mouth - does that sound weird? Because it works amazingly!

My current skincare consists of smothering myself up in Vaseline's Intensive Care Advanced Repair moisturiser, followed by the St. Tropez Instant Tan for a natural and glowy look. I have to admit and say that I'm quite lazy when it comes to caring for my skin, especially when I have to moisturise as to me it feels like a chore. However, since I started using this moisturiser I have noticed positive results in my dry skin and it feels a lot more nourished than usual. The St. Tropez Instant Tan is great as a last minute tan boost before an event etc. as it develops very quickly and doesn't stain your clothes!

The app that I've been using daily (besides Instagram and Twitter, obvs) is My Fitness Pal which has helped me keep track of how many calories I eat in a day and what foods to avoid, and what to eat more of. It also sends me reminders to drink more water which I've been trying to be very good with - my goal is to drink 3 litres a day.
I've been trying to lose some weight and tone up for the past few weeks and I won't lie and say I've been good because I haven't. I will try and keep up with my fitness routine and get back to y'all in a couple of months.

My favourite hair products during August were the Lee Stafford Coco Loco Coconut Heat Protection Mist, and Superdrug's Bloomin' Barnet Dry Shampoo. I was in need of a new heat protection spray so grabbed the Coco Loco one to try out as I'm a sucker for anything coconut scented and I must say that I love it very much and use it all the time before using hot irons. On the other hand, the dry shampoo is my life saver on sweaty and oily days when my hair needs a little bit of refreshment, as well as for when it needs some extra 'oomph'.

What did you enjoy using this month? Have you tried any of the products I've mentioned in this post?

Lots of love

Maya xo

OOTD || LUNCH DATE WITH THE GIRLS - CASUAL DAYTIME OUTFIT FOR AUTUMN/FALL

New clothes = picture time! I took advantage of the Missguided 50% student discount on A-level results day, and I couldn't be happier with some of the items I had picked out but this post is all about the amazing Regina George style off-the-shoulder jumper.

I am sooo excited for Autumn, I cannot describe my love for candles, sweaters, blankets, scary movies etc. the list could go on and on and on! Even though it's still Summer - it surely does not feel like it! I recently went out for a lunch date with one of my good friends, Rebekah, and decided to take my new jumper out for a stroll around town.

The jumper is slightly cropped so I think it'll be most flattering with high waisted jeans and a chunky belt - I wanted to wear a belt with this pair but unfortunately, these don't have belt loops so I couldn't wear my black embroidery one :(

These Primark shoes are great, are they slippers? Are they designer? Who knows?! All I care about is that they are very comfortable to wear and look fashionable AF and cost me £1 in the sale!

I always pay attention to detail whenever I'm out with the girls just because we like to exchange jewellery from time to time, as well as recommend some brands. I recently got this birthstone ring from Boots in the sale for only £2 and thought it'll make a great addition to my already big collection. It's very comfortable to wear and is adjustable so you don't have to worry about it fitting on any finger!

If you struggle with self-confidence when it comes to trying out different styles etc. then read my post on how I face my fashion fears, or what I used to wear before I gained weight.

If you're wondering how I created this makeup look then stay tuned as there will be a tutorial on it soon!

What's your go-to lunch date outfit?

Lots of love,

Maya xo

ARE COLOURPOP COSMETICS REALLY WORTH THE HYPE?

So, you're either wondering whether to try out some Colourpop products, want to see my collection, or are genuinely interested in what my thoughts are of this brand and their cosmetics. I have quite a big collection of Colourpop cosmetics for one main reason - I absolutely love the products and the brand and think they're very affordable even with customs charges.

If you've previously read my review of their liquid lipsticks, super shock shadows, or lippie stix then you will already know that I love all of their formulas and that they are very long-lasting. My collection has grown over the past year, and I believe I made my first order back in October 2016. You'll notice that some products are brand new and some have been loved very much, but now I have tried all of the products (the images were taken a while back) I can safely say that I have fallen in love with Colourpop even more than I already was from my very first review, and will continue to purchase their items whenever there are any offers!

My favourite products from Colourpop which I can't imagine doing makeup without would probably have to be the liquid lipsticks or lippie stix as they are the only lipsticks I've been using since last year. I'm not trying to exaggerate how good they are, but they're bloody amazing and you need them in your life NOW. I own 9 liquid lipsticks and 6 of the lippie stix, yet I still want more... I only buy Colourpop products when they are on offer to get my money's worth after I add the customs charges on top of my bill. The best offer I came across was the '3 for $10' which meant that I got the individual shadows and lipsticks which usually retail at $6, for $3.33 each - say no more.

Another great deal would be the 'value sets' which include 3 products for the price of $15 or 4 for $18, which is still a bargain especially if you live in the US and don't have to pay customs. There are usually good offers on delivery too, such as free worldwide shipping on orders over $50 - so imagine the 3 for $10 offer, you get 15 products for $50 and free delivery!!

The only eyeshadows I have tried are the super shock ones, and boy, was I shocked at how pigmented they were! All it took was a light swatch and I fell in love straight away. They're also very soft and buttery in touch which makes the application and the blending process a lot easier than most shadows. These also come in pans so you can create your own palette but I'm still yet to try them!

One of the orders I put through included a deal 'free eye makeup brush if you buy two eyeshadows' so (obviously) I got 4 shadows which were on offer for $18 for the set and was given two brushes. I picked the flat shadow brush and liner brush to try out, there was one more to try out but it was sold out :( better luck next time! I really enjoy using the angled liner brush for my brows, it makes filling them in a lot easier as it's very thin plus it works really well for outlining the perfect arch. The other brush, however, is quite hard to use. I don't use it for eyeshadow unless I create a halo eye look and add loose glitter to my lid, but I mainly use this brush for applying an eyeshadow primer to my lids.

So now that you've read what I think of Colourpop cosmetics, what are your opinions? Are you convinced that the products are good? Would you try them out for yourself?

Lots of love,

Maya xo

TRAVEL || HOLIDAY MUST-HAVES - WHAT TO TAKE WITH YOU ABROAD

Who's off on holiday this year then? I love travelling, it makes me very happy and excited for the future with Kieran when we can travel the world and see all sorts of places together.

We have actually already been on our holiday this year and have learnt a few new tips from our recent trip to Rome! So I thought I'd share with you my holiday must-haves.

1) Sunscreen - duh! This is probably the most important item you will need to take with you on a holiday. I usually take factor 30 as I'm naturally very pale but because I have educated myself on how important it is to wear SPF that I decided to take factor 50 with me this year. I used to be very bothered about not being able to tan like the rest of my family, but now I understand that my skin produces freckles rather than tan to protect itself. I have also recently started to wear fake tan more which suits my lifestyle a lot more.

2) Sunglasses - My eyes have become very sensitive over the past few years as I use the computer more than ever and don't wear my glasses all day every day. I think I'll end up having to get some contact lenses soon as I hate wearing my glasses due to them rubbing makeup off my nose! I've taken with me my trusty Oscar De La Renta sunnies and a few more Primark ones which are very instagramable as well as affordable!

3) Travel sized cosmetics - this is very important, especially if you don't have a hold luggage allowance. I usually take full sized products and try to use them up or leave some behind, but this time I thought I'll be good and save up plenty of space and weight by putting the majority of my products into smaller containers or just simply buying travel-sized products e.g. shaving gel, shampoo etc.

4) Sunhat - you have to make sure that you have some sort of heat-protective headwear with you as the sun abroad, especially in places like Greece and Spain is really strong. I usually bring a big floppy hat with me and wear it every day.

5) A good book - I love reading, but I never seem to find the time for it. I have just finished reading 'Getting rid of Matthew' and I was surprised at how much I enjoyed it. This holiday, I took with me Grey by E.L. James as we only went away for one week.

So here are my top 5 must-haves to take with me on holidays. What are yours? Let me know in the comments section down below!

Lots of love,

Maya xo

2017 || JULY FAVOURITES

I know this post is now long overdue, however, I found it quite hard to balance out blogging while on holiday as I stupidly didn't schedule any posts before setting off! Thus, not only is this post a bit late but I also included the UD Naked Heat palette in my July's favourites as I had a couple of weeks longer to play with it rather than judging it by its first use, even though it's bloody amazing.

HOW TO RESTORE SEVERELY DAMAGED SHORT HAIR - MY STORY OF LOW SELF-ESTEEM DUE TO HAIR LOSS AND OVERUSING HEAT

Oh dear, my hair journey... ha! Where to begin? Let's start from the first time I dyed my hair - I was a very self-conscious 13-year-old who felt the need to do everything to not look like 'me'.
I was in a very bad place at the time because of bullying and trying to settle in my new school, but now I wish I never touched my hair.

I had beautiful golden blonde hair which was long and healthy, it wasn't very thick but it was definitely thicker than it is now. I begged my mum for months to let me dye my hair and she finally did which made me very happy. I kept bleaching my hair until the age of 15 when I decided I wanted to have brown hair?! - If you're thinking about dying your hair brown but you're a natural blonde, make sure you speak to a professional beforehand, because me going brunette was the worst decision ever. After a couple of weeks, I got bored of my dark hair and wanted my blonde hair back. Oh, boy was it hard to go back to blonde then! I bleached and bleached and bleached my hair until it went a horrible bright orangey-yellow colour and very bad condition.

For my prom, I wanted to have long and curly hair but did I f**k... The hairdresser I went to BURNT MY HAIR OFF!!! She burnt my hair off the DAY of my prom.... The condition of it was so bad that all was left for me to do is have it cut really short and re-grow it. When I say short I don't mean Pixie-cut short, I mean above shoulder-bob-length which I hated. Thinking back now, I should have sued the woman! She was so rude as well, not helpful when it came to me picking out a hairstyle at all... and the fact that she did not dry my hair properly and using styling irons which weren't suitable for wet hair on me made me so angry. But, you live and you learn...

After 5 years of trying to grow my hair out and dye it less, I can say that I'm finally happy with the condition of it due to this routine and these products:

My current hair care routine consists of scrubbing my scalp every time I wash my hair - 2-3 times a week, depending on my plans. Once I've scrubbed my scalp and got rid of all the dry skin, excess product etc. I then move onto shampooing and conditioning my hair as normal, I have recently been using the whole Lee Stafford Hair Growth range and I've noticed a massive difference in the quality and length of my hair already. Once a week I will use a hair mask to nourish my hair, I love this one from Lush and any of the Lee Stafford ones.

I used to wash and straighten my hair every day for at least a year, so I have cut down a lot on using heated tools. When I was regrowing my hair properly I refused to use any heated tools and just let my hair dry naturally and put it up using scrunchies or invisibobbles.
Now, I blow dry my hair every time I wash it because now that I'm older I take care of my appearances more than I used to, and from time to time I'll either curl or straighten my hair too. I have been really enjoying using Lee Staffords' Coco Loco Heat Protecting Mist as it smells bloody amazing, and works wonders for my hair too! Jeez, this sounds like a sponsored post but it really isn't! I paid for all these products with my own money and I only buy hair care products when they're on offer anyway.
Another issue which bugs me is that my hair falls out so much every time I brush it... I know it's normal to have up to 100 strands of hair to fall out but my hair is thin enough as it is!! Would you recommend any hair products or how to reduce hair fall out?

Have you ever been through something similar? What are your holy grail hair products?

Lots of love,

Maya xo

TRAVEL || WHAT TO DO IN ROME + TIPS ON WHERE TO EAT, HOW TO SAVE ON TRANSPORT, AND WHERE TO GO

Those of you who follow me on social media will already know that I have been on holiday to Rome back in July (2017). I did plenty of research before my trip and have also learnt a lot of helpful tips while on holiday. Obviously, this post will include the Colosseum etc. but I will also mention how I saved a lot of money and made the most out of my trip. This post includes my own photographs only - I have many, many more in my archives but I thought I'll stick with these ones as you should really see the city in person for all its beautiful glory!

REVIEW || ARE THE URBAN DECAY NAKED PALETTES WORTH YOUR MONEY?

The Urban Decay Naked eyeshadow palettes have been a big hit since the first one came out in 2010, but now with so many amazing and more affordable palettes out there, are they really worth their price tag? I can finally say that I own the first 3 naked palettes and have put them to the test. After lusting over them (especially the first one due to the packaging) for years now, my wishes came true and the makeup fairy gifted me with these three beauties - in this case, my mum turned out to be the fairy.

The packaging:

Like I've mentioned above, I love the packaging of the first palette. It's very unique and you can actually open it all the way around so it's great for travelling. The only thing that annoys me about this one is the size of the mirror  - it's pathetic. I'm the type of girl who uses her palette mirror on-the-go, but using this one I can only touch up my lipstick if I hold it close enough to my mouth! 

On the other hand, the Naked 2 & 3 palettes come in a metal packaging which I really dislike. It reminds me of a very cheap palette that you could buy in like corner shops or something, but they do come with a large mirror and the metal case protects the palette from breaking while you're travelling.

Naked:
I feel like the shades in this palette are great for people of all skin tones and ages. It has a variety of subtle matte shades as well as pigmented shimmers. My favourite shades from this palette are 'Buck' and 'Toasted', which you can use to create a full eye-makeup look using just these two shades. Even though this palette was the first one to come out, it's one of my favourites and was actually my latest addition.

Naked 2:
The Naked 2 palette is a cool-toned shadow lovers' dream. The shade 'Tease' was literally created for me... it's a beautiful transition shade for all skin tones and looks lovely on its own too. I enjoy using this palette but I don't reach for it as much as I'd like to, so I would definitely suggest that you try the colours out in store before deciding on which one to buy.

Naked 3:
Now, I feel like this palette is very girly and versatile. It's great for every-day use, and the shades compliment each other very well. It has a lot of pinks in it, so if you're not a big fan of pink shadows then stay clear from this one as you might not like it. I think the shades 'Blackheart' and 'Trick' are my favourite as they're very pigmented.

If you're interested in more affordable dupes for these then I suggest the W7 palettes or the 'eBay' alternative 1 and 2.

^swatches from the Naked palette.

^swatches from the Naked 2 palette.

^swatches from the Naked 3 palette.


Overall, I found it hard to decide which palette I liked and used the most out the three, but I chose the first original Naked palette. I chose this one because I thought it suited me the most as there are 10 nude shades and 2 silver shades which make smokey eyes a lot easier to create. However, the price tag of £39.50 is way too high for what these palettes have to offer, but I will probably buy the Heat palette as I've heard lots of great reviews of it.

Do you own any of the Urban Decay Naked palettes? If so, what do you think of them?

Lots of love,

Maya xo