Christmas Guide

Saturday 14 December 2019

BLOGMAS 2019 || BEAUTY LOVERS' GIFT GUIDE FOR ALL AGES - WHAT TO GIFT A BEAUTY JUNKIE

*This post contains a PR press sample and affiliate links.

Being such a big fan of anything beauty related, I feel like I could be seen as a trusty source when looking for Christmas presents.

The Ordinary has been a brand that I've been wanting to try for a while but never quite got round to researching the right products for my skin type. Some of the products I have bought are 100% Plant-Derived Hemi-Squalane, Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1%, and High-Adherence Silicone Primer. The first and third products are great for all skin types, especially for those that are looking for a radiant complexion look. The second item is best for acne-prone skin as it helps to unclog pores and clear the skin from bacteria. It is one of my favourite skincare products I've ever tried. 

Eye Majic World's First Instant Eyeshadow (PR Press Sample) is a press on eyeshadow, giving an instant colourful look on the eye. This product is available in 24 shades, so you won't feel limited to just one eye look. I think these are great for those who don't have much time to get ready in the mornings but want to add a bit of colour to their daily makeup look. Eye Majic is also very hygienic (one-use product), cruelty-free, paraben-free and recyclable which makes it the perfect product for everyone! It retails at £5.99 for 5 applicators or £19.99 for 20. You can find Eye Majic Press On Shadows here.


Lancome has to be a mum's favourite brand, doesn't it? My mum was the person that introduced me to the brand, and even though it might be seen as an "older lady's brand" it definitely has some amazing products for all skin types and ages. The best, and probably the priciest, range from Lancome is Absolue Premium. The ones you can see in the picture are the day cream and the night cream, and I have received them as part of Lancome's Gift with Purchase. These make great gifts to those who are looking for anti-ageing products or really like the brand.

Another great choice for gifting a beauty lover is anything from Morphe. I bought the 25B Bronzed Mocha and 25D Oh Boy palettes to give to my sister this year as they were amazing value at only £12 when I bought them! Whether you're shopping for someone who has "too much makeup" or doesn't wear much eyeshadow, I feel like you can't go wrong with a basic neutral eyeshadow palette especially at such an amazing price.

I hope you can take some inspiration from my post next time you look for Christmas presents for a beauty lover in your life!

Lots of love,
Maya xo

Friday 29 November 2019

BLOGMAS 2019 || GIFT GUIDE FOR MEN

Every year I struggle with finding what to get for my partner, my dad and my brother for Christmas (and birthdays). I always want it to be a thoughtful yet practical present that they will like, and nothing rubbish they will open and force a smile at.

This year I have put together a modern gift guide for the men in your life based on their interests and different budgets. I have decided to go for 5 different interests: gamer, sports fan, animal lover, musician and outgoer. I know that I can pick at least one item from every list for my boyfriend, dad AND brother and they are all different ages starting from 11. If I can find something for my loved ones, then I'm sure you can too!


1. GIFTS FOR A GAMER:

- The newest Xbox/PlayStation console
- Nintendo Switch
- Personalised controller - Scuf or ControllerModz
- T-shirt of their favourite character from a game


2. GIFTS FOR A MUSIC LOVER:

- Favourite band t-shirt
- An instrument
- Tickets to see their favourite singer/band
- A microphone and audio set


3. GIFTS FOR A SPORTS FAN:

- Men's tracksuit set
- Trainers
- Tickets to see their favourite sports club
- Favourite sports club t-shirt


4. GIFTS FOR ANIMAL LOVERS:

- An online animal adoption (to help save endangered species)
- Donating money to an animal shelter in their name
- Possibly adopt a pet from a shelter (if they can really look after it)
- A onesie representing their favourite animal


5. GIFTS FOR OUTGOERS:

- Cinema gift card
- Restaurant gift card
- A weekend away
- An escape room experience


Is there anything else you'd add to this list? I hope it helps with finding the best gift for the men in your life!

*This post is sponsored but all opinions are honest and my own.

Lots of love,
Maya xo

Saturday 16 December 2017

BLOGMAS 2017 || DAY 16 - THE PERFECT CHRISTMAS SUGAR COOKIES (ZOELLA'S RECIPE)


These might not be the most appetising-looking cookies in the world, but they sure do taste good! I always make some festive treats this time of the year, so I thought it'd be useful if I shared with you my favourite sugar cookie recipe.
This is actually a recipe I got from Zoella's blog and I absolutely love how these came out (taste-wise) as I'm not the best at decorating cakes due to lack of equipment but hopefully I'll be able to share more recipes with you in my new house soon.

You will need these ingredients for the cookie batter:
140g Icing Sugar
250g Butter (cut into chunks)
1 Egg Yolk
1tsp Vanilla Extract
375g Plain Flour

For the icing:
225g Icing Sugar
1 Egg White
Cold Water



The Method:

Preheat the oven to 190oC.

In a mixing bowl, add butter, icing sugar, egg yolk and vanilla extract and mix until smooth. Once you're happy with the consistency of the batter, start adding in the flour bit by bit and mix it in until a dough is formed. Wrap the dough in cling film and set aside in the fridge for around 30 minutes.
Spread some flour onto a worktop/chopping board and roll out the dough with a rolling pin (I don't have a rolling pin so I used a cucumber wrapped in cling film hahaha - desperate times call for desperate measures!). Once you roll out the dough, pick your favourite festive cookie cutters and start carving out some shapes. I actually used a pumpkin cutter as I couldn't find any festive ones, so I tried to turn them into baubles but as you can see in pictures they look like something a 5-year-old would make haha. Now that you have your cookies cut out and ready to bake, place them on a baking tray laid out with baking paper to avoid sticking and pop them in the oven for 10-12 minutes or until golden.
While the cookies are in the oven, you can now make the icing mixture. In a bowl, mix in the icing sugar and the egg white until smooth. If you find the consistency a little bit too thick then you can add a bit of cold water to make it more spreadable. Once you have a perfect consistency, put the icing into a piping bag and decorate your cookies once they're cool. And voilá! 

Obviously, my cookies don't look good at all (it's okay I already laughed at my failure), but they really do taste great and are very easy to make! I feel like this is an easy family task everyone would enjoy - especially when it comes to decorating.

Lots of love,
Maya xo

Friday 15 December 2017

BLOGMAS 2017 || DAY 15 - GIFTS FOR HIM - AFFORDABLE LUXURIOUS SHIRTS FOR MEN FT. MILL NO. 8



I always struggle to buy gifts for my boyfriend or my dad, because who wants to receive tons of skincare products or alcohol every year for all occasions? Not the men in my family, that's for sure... So when I was contacted by Nehal from Mill No. 8 asking if I wanted to try out their service and receive a free shirt, I jumped to the opportunity as I know my boyfriend loves to wear shirts on special occasions and our 5 year anniversary is just around the corner.


First of all, the website is very easy to navigate so it does save a lot of time when you're looking for something in particular. There is a huge variety of different clothes to choose from - the images included throughout the website are very high fashion and almost persuade you to buy the whole outfit thanks to the photographers and models, of course.

Tuesday 5 December 2017

BLOGMAS 2017 || DAY 5 - MY CHRISTMAS WISHLIST


I don't usually ask for much when it comes to Christmas presents as I have a part-time job so whatever I want/need I just pay for it myself, so you can imagine how difficult it was for me to come up with a Christmas list for 2017.

1) Thierry Mugler Aura Fragrance Set
I remember walking into Debenhams in the summer and coming across this beautiful and unique fragrance. I was on my way to get some euros for my holiday to Rome and the money office just happened to be right next to the fragrance department and of course, I took a detour...
I don't think I ever loved a fragrance as much as this one. Mugler's Alien is definitely one of my all-time favourite scents to wear this time of the year but since I ran out of it a few months ago I thought it was the perfect time to ask for this newbie to be added to my collection.

2) Lilo & Stitch Pandora Charm
Not sure if many of you know this already, but I used to work at the Disney Store for over 2 years and have recently left my position as a Cast Member. Disney was a big part of my childhood and I loved watching the movies as I was growing up, so you can only imagine how much I loved working for the company. I still feel very attached to the company and it will forever hold a special place in my heart, hence why I asked for a Disney Pandora charm this Christmas. I asked for this one in particular as I always loved the movie and my sister is my best friend, just like Lilo and Nani. Also, every time I'll look at my bracelet it'll remind me of my time working for Disney and my love for my Ohana.

3) Diptyque Candle 
Once, I was very close to buying one of these myself when I misheard the price of '£40' as '£14'... Come on now, £40 for a candle?! I don't think I'd ever spend this much on one myself but it's a great gift for home-makers. I'm currently looking into buying a house, so I want to start collecting nice bits and bobs for it which makes Christmas gifts a little bit easier. I also love Yankee and Bath and Body Works candles but they can get quite pricey. Another brand I love for luxurious candles is Jo Malone as they look so fancy and smell so good, plus I get some discount on them as I work for Estee Lauder Companies (win-win).

4) J. K. Rowling's Fantastic Beasts And Where To Find Them Book
Joanne is one of my favourite authors since I was about 6. I love her style of writing and thanks to her, my childhood was filled with much needed magic. I also admire her as a person, she's always striving for greatness and is pretty much a Twitter Queen. Anyway, going back to the book - I wanted to get it when the screenplay came out as I love the cover of it but I'd much rather have the original book, because if I wanted to know the screenplay then I'd just watch the film!

5) Urban Decay Ultimate Basics Palette
This palette has been on my list for ages now, and hopefully, I'll be able to get it for Christmas! If not, my birthday is in January so I can wait til then hahaha!! I love matte shadows and this palette is perfect for this time of the year.


What's on your Christmas wishlist this year?

Lots of love,
Maya xo
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