Cosmetics

Friday 26 May 2017

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

Friday 22 July 2016

Review || Jeffree Star Cosmetics Velour Liquid Lips & My Thoughts On The Drama With Kat Von D

Hey Beauties!


Who doesn't own a Jeffree's Star lipstick yet? Well, you need one in your life because they will change it forever. 


The first shades I bought were Redrum and Breatfast At Tiffany's, which then the family grew bigger as Celebrity Skin joined along with Masochist and Androgyny a few weeks later.


I love the fact that Breakfast At Tiffany's has got the lipstick colour on the sticker, it's so cute and adds a touch of sophistication to the collection. I can't wait to get the new Summer collection shades!

I love the packaging, it's really punk rock with the stars and the bright pink. You can see the colours of the lipsticks too which I find very helpful. I hate having to check every one of my MAC lipsticks to find Velvet Teddy or Whirl - no matter how many times I reorganise the stand.


I absolutely love the formula of these, it's very wet and velvety (sounds weird, I know) but it applies so well. I feel like I only need one layer of the lipstick for the colour to show which is a m a z i n g!
This means it will last you forever, well scratch that - it'll last you longer than majority of liquid lipsticks as you won't need to apply many coats. Also this is very long wearing, I feel like it lasts all day without having to reapply (depending on what shade you're wearing).


T-B: Celebrity Skin, Androgyny, Breakfast At Tiffany's, Masochist and Redrum.

Right, let's get straight to the whole Jeffree, Kat and BJ drama. Have you all seen the posts and videos? I watched them all and read other people's comments to try and figure out what has gone off. Basically, BJ had rung Kat saying that back in the day when Jeffree was setting up his business he asked BJ to design a logo which he did NOT use as he thought BJ was too expensive for him at the time seeing as he invested all his money into his brand so he did not use BJ's artwork therefore did not pay him. Kat then went on and sent a text to Jeffree demanding answers on the whole situation which Jeffree explained in the text. He said he did not use BJ's services therefore did not pay him at the time but he has now so everything was fine between the two - however, Kat maliciously told the Too Faced producers in the warehouse that Jeffree tried to steal her ideas. This, I think is nasty! Why would you say something like that about one of your close friends? Even if it were true, then surely she would have spoken to Jeffree about it first? Seeing as that's what friends do in conflict - they talk things out.

She then went on and bashed him in her video here, saying that he's a racist bully who promotes drug use. I'm sorry, but you cannot judge someone by their past. Jeffree is a completely new person to who he used to be many years ago and he had apologised for his previous behaviour. We all make mistakes and wouldn't want to be judged by them, so why did Kat feel the need to say those things about him? About the drug use - he smokes legal marijuana and doesn't promote it - he's open about his lifestyle and it's beneficial for him as he suffers from anxiety and marijuana helps him fight it. 

At the end of the day, both Kat and Jeffree are amazing entrepreneurs and hold very successful makeup brands, however I am definitely on #TeamJeffree as I believe that Kat should not have spoken out about the situation publically but tried to resolve their issues between the pair.


Do you own any of Jeffree's cosmetics? If so, what do you have or would love to own?! And what are your thoughts on the Kat-Jeffree drama?

Lots of love,
Maya xo

Tuesday 28 June 2016

2016 || May Favourites

Hi Lovelies! 

May was a crazy month for me. I had my end of year exams and the weather had its ups and downs. However, this does not mean that I didn't have any beauty favourites! This month I've mainly been loving Makeup Revolution products but I tried not to include too many haha!


The things I've been loving in May 2016:
-Makeup Revolution Salted Caramel Palette £8
-Makeup Revolution Ultra Strobe Cream £8
-Makeup Revolution Contour Kit £3.50
-MAC Paint Pot in Painterly £16
-MAC Brook Candy Edition Matte Lipstick in Whirl £17


What have you loved in May?

Lots of love,
Maya xo

Friday 3 June 2016

2016 || April Favourites

Hi Everyone!

I know it's sooo late for an April favourites post, but you should be grateful that there is one at all hahaha!! I bought loads of Benefit products in April so I thought I'd dedicate this post to the brand (NOT sponsored). 


So as you can see I went all out and bought nearly every single travel-sized product that Benefit does. As Boots had an offer on the minis (4 for £15 + free makeup bag) I bought 8 products from the offer and one travel-sized Hoola bronzer which was £9.95.

I absolutely love every single product I had bought, especially the baby sized Hoola! I definitely recommend all these product for those who are travelling light this year or want to save space in their makeup bags!

Have you tried any of the products mentioned above? What's your favourite?

Lots of love,
Maya xo

Sunday 29 May 2016

FOTD || USING ONE BRAND - TESTING OUT PRIMARK'S MAKEUP - DOES IT REALLY WORK?

Hi Everyone!

I have officially finished my first year at uni, woo! Now I'm just looking forward to my holiday (I'll reveal the destination in an upcoming post).

Has you ever tried using just one brand to create a whole look? Well, I've decided to give it a go with Primark's makeup collection. They have recently brought out a professional range, however I wanted to keep this look as cheap as possible for those who don't have loads of money or are starting out with makeup and need to find out more about Primark's collection.







The whole look came up to £29.80 including the makeup bag.


I had bought a foundation, powder, bronzer, eyebrow kit, mascara, eyeshadow palette, kohl liner, lipliner, lipstick, beauty blenders and brushes.


I'll start off with the foundation. When I first saw it I was surprisingly shocked. I think there are 5/6 shades and they're not silly shades that you'd get from Rimmel or Loreal, but in fact the shades go from really light to mid-dark which means that everyone can enjoy these foundations. 
At first, I didn't like the scent at all. It smells a bit plasticky and not nice, however once I swatches it on the back of my hand I fell in love with it instantly. The consistency is very thick and it glides on really smoothly. I would say it's medium to full coverage and is suitable for all skin types. I, personally have combination skin and found this foundation very long lasting and very suitable. 
I chose the shade 'Porcelain' - as I'm whiter than white - which was the perfect shade for me, especially when I don't fake tan. I give this foundation a strong 9/10 especially for the amazing price of £5!



I had applied my foundation using the teardrop shaped beauty blending sponge and the double ended foundation/concealer brush for better coverage. I've used the brush many times now and I really enjoy it, however the sponge was fantastic. It is soft and stiff at the same time making the application process so much easier and quicker. I'd say that everyone needs those sponges in their lives, particularly if you don't have too much time to spare to do your makeup. Both applicators were £1.50 each, so grab a bargain!


Next up, I used the mineral loose powder in shade 'light'. This was only £2 and you get a lot of product. At first I didn't like the colour as I do prefer translucent powders, however once I've applied it onto my skin to set the foundation I really liked it. It added slightly more coverage to my face, making it look more flawless. 
I did find the packaging slightly annoying as it took me a while to get the product out, however this can be easily overlooked once you try this amazing powder. If you like baking under your eyes then I would highly recommend this powder! Especially with the application of a wet beauty blender/sponge. However, I did apply it with the flat powder brush which I think retails at £1.50



Then of course I had to bronze up! I couldn't find a matte bronzer and the one they did have was really shiny/glittery and looked more like a highlighter :( so I actually bought a pressed powder in the shade 'dark' as I thought it'd give me a nice sun kissed look. But, I didn't like it very much. The colour pay off was rubbish and it was slightly orange. I don't know, maybe it'd be a good powder, but it was crap as a bronzer. However, I did love the brush I used for applying bronzer. It's a double contour brush - double? Huh? I don't even know! It looks like a split fibre one for better coverage. I had used it with different products and absolutely love it - everyone needs one in their makeup bag.



When I was done with my face, I tried to do my eyebrows. You can see I said 'tried' because it was a long and messy process haha! I hate this crayon, it's so bad!! It say on top of my eyebrow hairs rather than give me a fuller brow look. I think I'd stick to my Brow Archery next time D:
I definitely would advise everyone to stay away from this! However I did really like the brow gel, and thought the set was really cute as it comes with tweezers and a spoolie, as well as the crayon and clear gel.





The eyeshadow palette made me tear up. It's so gorgeous and looks a lot like the MAC x9 palettes. Oh how i disappointed myself :(( the shades look similar to each other and are very chalky. The fallout is dangerous - there's so much of it!! They were however easy to blend, but only because the pigment was DISGRACEFUL!! I would say that these are good for those who like subtle eyeshadow or are starting to play with makeup and want some Eyeshadows which are easy to blend. 
I used the double ended eyeshadow brush to apply these which was okay. I think a fluffy brush would have been better, but it turned out okay.



Next up, I applied the kohl liner. I put on my upper lash line as I wanted to create a smokey effect. It's actually really good, you know! As it was only £1 I didn't expect much, but I was pleasantly surprised and absolutely love it. I'd say it's a very good dupe for the Benefit BadGal liner.




Another favourite - the mascara. At only £1 it is AMAZING. I love it so much that I might buy a few more just in case they are discontinued! It's perfect for when you're rushing and want a bit of volume and a lot of coverage! I wish they did it in more colours as its really hard to find a good mascara that's not too pricey and comes in lots of colours. Remember old Primark makeup?? With the liquid glitter liners and mascaras?? Those were the days hahaha!!


My all time holy grail lashes - the Primark Sultry style. At only £1 I own about 5 pairs and have been through many more before that. I didn't apply them for this look as I was staying at home all day revising, however I think they would really compliment this look and make it a bit more sexy.
If you like any of their other lashes then please let me know which ones! I do want to try more and ad they're so cheap I shouldn't hesitate, but you know the feeling when you spend money on something that you won't use again - worst feeling ever!



Moving onto lips now. I bought two different shades of lip products at different times so didn't want to add more to the collection as I wasn't amazed by them. The lipliner is okay, it feels really waxy and dry on the lips however it is highly pigmented and compliments my skin tone. On the other hand, the lipstick is really good for the price (£1.50). It does feel slightly waxy, but it smells great and is highly pigmented. You only need about one coat to get a nice look.


I wasn't going to include nails in, as I have so many false nails from Primark already, but I saw this cute little nail varnish and it was only 30p. Yup, 30 PENCE!!! For something so cheap I didn't expect much. Guess what?? It is sooo good! I only applied 2 coats and it lasted so long before chipping (around 3-4 days). The normal price of these is 60p which is still bloody amazing, they come in many colours so I will definitely buy the whole collection. These are particularly good for those who don't paint their nails very often, as I always feel bad when I get rid of old nail polish that could have gotten so much more use out of. A little bottle like this will definitely last you a long time, as like I've said earlier - you only need two coats to get the most out of the colour.

Overall, I was very pleased with the majority of the products. I will definitely consider expanding my collection next time I pay Primark a visit.

This whole look has cost me less than £30 including the tools which I think is incredible, as a whole face full of MAC would cost around £300! So I did grab myself a massive bargain!

What do you think of this look? Would you like to see more FOTD posts that feature one brand?

Lots of love,
Maya xo
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