BEAUTY || KIKO MILANO COSMETICS LIPLINERS SHADES & SWATCHES

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!

REVIEW || GARNIER ULTIMATE BLENDS PLUMPING HAIR FOOD WATERMELON & POMEGRANATE SHAMPOO, CONDITIONER AND MASK

When I first saw that Garnier brought out a watermelon scented range of their Ultimate Blends collection I knew I had to have it because if you know anything about me you will know that I love anything watermelon scented. I'm a huge fan of the Banana hair mask from Garnier and I haven't tried any of the other products, including the shampoos or conditioners. On my recent walk, I decided to go into my local Boots store and pick up the shampoo, conditioner and mask from the watermelon collection and I just couldn't wait to smell them!

REVIEW || ELF COSMETICS PORELESS PUTTY PRIMER

I feel like this product has been sold out in my local Superdrug stores for absolute ages until I was able to get my hands on it in December 2019. I've been using it for a few months now so I think it's the perfect time to finally review it. Since releasing the Poreless Putty Primer, ELF have also released a selection of primers in this range including Matte Putty Primer, and Luminous Putty Primer (which I haven't tried yet).

REVIEW || SUPERDRUG VITAMIN E SKINCARE REVIEW - DUAL PHASE CLEANSING OIL, MICELLAR SOLUTION, OATMEAL EXFOLIATOR & HOT CLOTH CLEANSER

If you’re like me then you’re always looking for good and affordable skincare. We’ve all heard of Origins, Clinique, Liz Earle etc but these labels also carry a high price tag with their great products. Since coming across Superdrug’s Vitamin E range a few years ago I wanted to pick up a few of their skincare products and give them a proper go before reviewing them for you guys.

Vitamin E Gentle Oatmeal Exfoliator £2.99:

I have previously tried the Oatmeal Exfoliator and loved the smell but didn’t really remember the product so I had to buy it again and see if it was any good. As I already mentioned, the scent is really nice - it reminds me of a Lush soap I’ve had before. It feels very gentle on the skin as it’s sort of creamy but the oat grains are effective enough to scrub away the dead skin cells and sebum. I do find that the grains get stuck in the tube a bit making it harder to squeeze the product out but as long as the little nozzle is cleaned after every use it shouldn’t get blocked.

Vitamin E Dual Phase Cleansing Oil £2.99:

When I picked this cleansing oil up I was really excited to try a new cleanser that will remove my makeup properly - including my waterproof mascara. I thought of this as a more affordable and cruelty-free alternative to Clinique’s Take The Day Off makeup remover which is one of my favourite products, but for obvious reasons (not being cruelty-free & price) I want to find a perfect alternative. At first, I thought that this oil was a bit rubbish as the bottle would leak after I applied some product to a cotton pad, it really got on my nerves as this would happen every time I used it!

The instructions say to shake the bottle to combine the two oils and then apply to a cotton pad ready to use to take any makeup off as well as to cleanse the skin from any impurities to leave the skin feeling clean and soft. I can say that this oil does work in a very similar way to the Clinique makeup remover, however, it doesn’t take waterproof mascara off as well which is slightly disappointing. It feels lovely on the skin as it glides on over the face and melts the makeup away but I feel like I need to double cleanse after (which I always do regardless of the makeup remover I use) therefore this might not be the right product for you if you want something fuss-free an easy to use, but at only £2.99 I think it’s definitely a product worth trying.

Vitamin E Gentle Micellar Solution £2.99:

I really love the scent of this micellar water, it smells very fresh and sort of sweet (similar to the exfoliator). This micellar water is designed to remove makeup and any impurities from the skin but I used it as a toner after double cleansing my skin. It’s an okay cleanser, I don’t think it takes off any makeup off however it feels great on the skin as a toner but that’s the only use I get out of it. I've noticed that my skin felt softer since using this product but it still has quite a lot of texture so personally, I don't think this works as a very good toner either, so for £2.99, I can’t be mad but probably won’t buy this again.

Vitamin E Hot Cloth Cleanser £4.99:

Well, where do I start? I had really high hopes for this cleanser, especially after hearing that it’s a great dupe for the Liz Earl one. When I opened the box this cleanser came in, I found a cloth inside which I thought was a very good addition to the product as not everyone owns a face cloth (I have around 10 because I obviously lack self-control). The first time I tried this product I thought it was okay and it did cleanse my skin nicely but I had a feeling like it wasn’t enough so I’d always use a scrub after because I didn’t want to leave my skin feeling congested. Another time I used this was a completely different story and, to be honest with you, it was the last time I used this. My face was burning and carried on stinging after I removed the product. I don’t know what it was that made my skin react so badly but I haven’t touched it since. It does say on the bottle that it’s suitable for sensitive skin but I wouldn’t recommend it if you suffer from acne, rosacea, dry flaky skin etc. So this little guy will definitely not make it back into my bathroom cabinet unless they change the formula or create one for very sensitive skin!

Have you tried any products from the Vitamin E range? I know there are so many more, so if you’d like me to review any please let me know in the comments section down below!

*This post contains affiliate links.

Lots of love,

Maya xo

BEST AFFORDABLE DRUGSTORE DUPES FOR HIGH-END MAKEUP

I cannot be the only person who's on a constant lookout for a more affordable dupe of a favourite product. It all started with my Urban Decay Naked 3 palette, one that I love and use regularly but never want it to run out so when I saw that W7 created a palette with similar shades I had to try it out.
If you have read my review of the UD Naked palettes then you'll know that I think they're slightly overpriced for what you get. On the other hand, the W7 palette is only £7.99 but you can buy it here for only £5.99 which is less than 1/6 of the price for the real thing. The W7 palette is very similar to the UD Naked 3, the shadows swatch nicely and come up quite pigmented on the lid but there is a bit more fallout which is to be expected.

Another product that I've had my eyes on was the Milani Conceal and Perfect 2in1 foundation which has to be the perfect dupe for the Clinique Beyond Perfecting foundation. I picked the shade 05A Natural which turned out to be a lot darker than I thought but it blends lovely when I wear fake tan. One thing I noticed about the Clinique foundation was that it comes in 28 shades, but the Milani one only comes in 16 shades which is a downside to it as it might not suit everyone. The coverage of the Milani foundation is absolutely fantastic, I feel like it sits on my skin better than the Beyond Perfecting foundation and for only £12.95 I cannot fault it at all.

Last but not least, the L.A. Girl Strobe Light Highlighter! I'm a huge fan of the L.A. Girl Pro Concealers so I've been wanting to try more of their products, including this strobing highlighter as it's the perfect dupe for the Jeffree Star Skinfrost in Ice Cold. Being pale isn't fun when it comes to picking the right highlighter shade, so when I saw that L.A. Girl has come out with the brightest highlighter in the drugstore I knew I had to have it. At first it might feel like it's a bit too powdery but once you go in and swirl your brush in the compact you'll see the pigment transfer onto the brush and change your life forever... I have been wearing this highlighter every day for a while now and I must say it is now a staple in my makeup bag and I wear it more than the JS Skinfrost as it shows up more pigmented and stays on for longer.

*This post was a collaboration with Beauty Based and the products mentioned were gifted to me. However, all opinions are mine and always remain honest.

What's your favourite high-end makeup product that you found a perfect dupe for?

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

REVIEW || COLOURPOP ULTRA MATTE & ULTRA SATIN LIP

I feel like this whole Colourpop review thing is becoming a trend over on Vogue By Maya haha. I have already written full reviews of the Colour Shock Shadows and Lippie Stix, but now it's time to talk about the famous Ultra Matte and Satin lipsticks.

I'm a massive Colourpop fan in general. I love their prices and their products - especially the packaging! I recently placed 2 orders (naughty, I know) and will soon share with you my whole Colourpop makeup collection, so stay tuned for more!

First up, I bought this trio as a set for $15 on offer. I really like the shades as they're all pink toned natural(ish) shades which I love for an every-day look. I have the shades: Baracuda, Viper, and Times Square with Baracuda being a satin finish liquid lipstick.

The packaging is very pretty, it reminds me very much of the Anastasia Beverly Hills liquid lipsticks but with slightly different lids. To say these are only $6 each they look great, and I bet they would look even better stacked up in an acrylic stand! (I keep mine in their original boxes because I love the packaging so much, haha).

The formula is very thick, almost like the NYX Lip Lingerie lipsticks. I love that these lipsticks do not bleed. I find that many liquid lipsticks, including Jeffree Star Velour Liquid Lipsticks, bleed a lot into fine lines in the skin around the mouth area.

The applicator is very simple, but effective. It does the job well however, I do feel like I need to line my lips before using these lipsticks as it's hard to stay in line without doing so!
The longevity is quite high as I usually wear these to work or uni and they stay on all day long, but I do feel the need to touch up a little bit after eating which isn't unusual.

Overall, I really love the formula of these. They don't feel sticky and glide on nicely, but if I had to choose I would probably pick the Lippie Stix over the liquid lipsticks as the formula of them is very unique which draws me to them.

Have you tried any of the Colourpop liquid lipsticks? If so, which ones?

Lots of love,

Maya xo

REVIEW || NYX SOFT MATTE LIP CREAMS

Ever since I've heard about the brand NYX I have been wanting to get my hands on some of their products to try out. Finally, after a long time, I bought a few Soft Matte Lip Creams after hearing so many people rave about them.

I think the size is very handy as you can just shove it in your bag, and the little bottle looks a lot like the MAC Lipglasses. They're not heavy, and I believe that they are all made out of plastic. As always, all NYX products are vegan which means that the products are NOT tested on animals - just another reason to buy their makeup products!

The consistency of the product, for me, was very odd. It felt like mousse instead of liquid lipstick which I found fascinating as I can't feel it on my lips at all. It's very smooth and velvet like - yes! That's exactly what it feels like. Now I know why the lipsticks are called 'soft cream' haha.

Now, these are quite long lasting but I feel that I need to re-apply after eating or drinking which is annoying, but like I said before - they're easy to carry around anyway. On a good day it will last around 6 hours without touching up and I think that's pretty good bearing in mind a normal bullet lipstick would not last anywhere near as much as six hours.

The shades I currently own are London, Rome and Copenhagen. I thought they're the best of nudes, pinks and darks haha! The next shade that's on my wishlist is definitely Toulouse but I'm not sure if you can buy it individually or only in a set.

Have you tried any of the NYX Soft Matte Lip Creams? Do you have a favourite shade?

Lots of love,

Maya xo

REVIEW || COLOURPOP EYESHADOWS

Who hasn't been lusting over Colourpop products yet? Not a lot I bet. As soon as I've heard of the brand sometime a year ago I've been wanting to try out their products, and when I finally got my hands on some I was very very happy.

I have written a full review of the Lippie Stix here. So, if you have already seen this post then you'd know that I absolutely love Colourpop lip products but let's talk about their eyeshadows!

I bought a set of 4 for only $18 instead of $20 which is how much they would cost me if I had bought them individually. I love warm tones and all four of these are right up my alley so I was very excited to try them out.

I have the shades (l-r) Jinxie, Elixir, Seeker and Paradox. I must say that Paradox is my favourite as it's a very deep burgundy shade and shows up great on my skin tone - I also tried it on a friend who has a deeper skin tone and it looked great on her!

To say that these are only $5 and the pigment is fantastic and shows up well on deeper skin tones as well as light, these are totally worth the price and YOU NEED IT in your collection!!

I love the packaging of these, the cute little pots look very expensive and are handy to whip out a couple of shades to create a full eye makeup look. I think that these would look great in Alex drawers (so fetch) but I know that many people prefer to have their eyeshadows in palettes rather than singles, but thankfully you can get Colourpop eyeshadow pans to put in a palette! Hooray! The only downside of these coming in pots is that it would be very difficult to depot these and unfortunately these shades aren't available in the single pans yet :(

I will expand my Colourpop eyeshadow collection soon enough, and you'll hear about it all over my social media platforms! - I've been trying really hard to take better pictures and create better content so head over to my Instagram for pretty pics and Twitter for latest post news!

Have you tried any Colourpop products? Have you got a favourite brand for eyeshadows?

Lots of love,

Maya xo

REVIEW || COLOURPOP PERSUEDE ME LIPPIE STIX COLLECTION

Ever since hearing about Colourpop I've been wanting to try out their products. I finally decided to make a big order back in October (I think) and bought a set of Lippie Stix along with other items and I must say that was one of the best decisions I ever made! Even though custom charges killed me after already spending around £50 on products D: - but when I think about MAC I usually spend the same amount on 2-3 things.

I don't really like the packaging that much. I mean, it is nice but nothing exceptional; it kind of looks like a jumbo eye crayon by NYX, but then again this is a drugstore product retailing at only $6 so the packaging isn't the post important.

They have a variety of lovely shades to choose from but because I chose a pre-packed set I was 'stuck' with all nudes. I'm not complaining though - they are lovely! My favourite shade has to be 'Le Freak'.

The consistency is very creamy and easy to apply, the lipstick literally glides on nicely and stay put all day. I do have to touch up after eating/drinking and it builds up quite easily so it's best to apply a thin layer with a lip brush to avoid it gathering.

Overall, I would rate these a solid 9/10 as the formula and price are amazing but the main issue for those who live outside the US is the VAT and custom fees :(

Have you tried any of the Colourpop products before? If so, which ones?

Lots of love,

Maya xo

2017 || FEBRUARY FAVOURITES

February was a massive emotional rollercoaster ride for me. I had to battle my depression and anxiety as well as distance myself from toxic people, yet I also met some very lovely like-minded people and been really successful with blogging and university work. Moral of the story - don't let temporary people affect your future, and that hard work does pay off!

Anyway, I must say the product I've been loving the most last month was something that I've had since August and had only used it once. It is the Natural Collection Lipstick in shade Fig Leaf. I don't know why I didn't use it, probably because I have so many lipsticks I usually stick to the old trusty ones like Jeffree Star's Celebrity Skin or NYX's Soft Matte Lip Cremes. With the weather not being so great, I've been wanting to just wear lip balm but I felt like I needed a bit of colour added to my lips, so that's when I turned to this natural shade that's full of moisture that locks in all day long and it only costs £1.99! Fantastic bargain and I must say it will definitely suit all skin tones!

My next favourite (especially in Spring) is the Urban Decay Beached Bronzer. I've had this since January and been using it nearly every day since. It's a beautiful shade that instantly adds warmth to my skin and makes me look sun-kissed in seconds which also lasts all day long! It is slightly pricey, however definitely worth the price if you wear bronzer every day.

I recently bought the whole range of Lee Stafford's Hair Growth products and I've been really loving the Leave-in Treatment. I've been using it after every wash and I've noticed the difference on how much thicker my hair looks thanks to the pro-growth complex and caffeine. I will do a full review of the whole range soon.

Another one of my oldies but goodies that I've completely neglected is the Benefit It's Potent Eye Cream. It is amazing for brightening up your eyes and reducing the appearance of dark circles. I tend to use it in the morning before applying my makeup, but it's also BENEFITcial (see what I did there haha) to wear it overnight as then I wake up feeling fresh and with bright eyes - not horrible droopy 'what is sleep' sort of eyes!

Wikaniko's Moringa oil is one of my newest additions to my skincare routine, and OMG can I just say that this is bloody amazing?! I've not had it for long but I've been using it every night since receiving a bottle to review and it makes my skin feel absolutely amazing; it's so soft and reduces the appearance of fine lines (a full review will be up soon).

I've probably spoken about the L'aimant fragrance before, but I honestly love this scent. It smells great and is very dusty but still refreshing - perfect for Spring. It's also a very handy small bottle which fits perfectly in my handbag without weighing it down too much! If you're a big fan of Chanel then I'd definitely recommend this fragrance as it smells identical to Chanel No5.

What have you been loving this February? Have you tried any of these products before?

Lots of love,

Maya xo

Massive Drugstore Haul

Good Morning Everyone!

I hope you're all looking forward to the weekend! I'm busy working and exercising, trying to get fitter before my holiday. Shall I do a post about my progress?

Anyway, I have recently splurged a LOT on makeup, both high-end and drugstore, but today I will share with you my drugstore buys.

I will link all products down below for you guys, and I won't go into much detail as I'd like to do full reviews, so if you'd like a review of a particular product then let me know down below in the comments section!

Let's get started!

Makeup Revolution Lipsticks in a pack of five £4.

Natural Collection Lipsticks and Eyeshadows, £1.99 each.

Shades: Hazelnut and Fig Leaf. 

Shades: Crushed Walnut, Willow and Milk Chocolate. (I have since then purchased another shade called Barley which is a warm gold colour)

Rose Gold Balmi, raspberry flavour. This was around £4 I believe as it was on offer.

Real Techniques Deluxe Gift Set, £19.99.

Primark and Sleek lipliners, and Essence waterline pencil.

Makeup Revolution Rose Gold Lipsticks £3 each, in shades: Girls Best Friend, Diamond Life, Private Members Club and Red Carpet. Unfortunately, I couldn't get my hands on the nude shade, but hopefully, I'll add it to my collection soon!

Ultra Strobe Cream £8

Pro Go Brush Set £4.95

Primark Matte Lipstick £1.50

Concealer/Contour Palette £3.45 including a brush

Morphe Magnetic Palette with 7 inserts in shades: Creme Brûlée, Pretty in Pink, Breakfast at Tifanneez, Caffee Mochiato, Glow for Me, Toasted Hazelnut, and Rosewood.

Makeup Revolution Fortune Favours The Brave Palette £10

Mermaids Forever Palette £8

Makeup Revolution I Heart Chocolate, Salted Caramel, and Pink Fizz Palettes. £8 each

The Make-up Revolution Chocolate Palettes have been on my wishlist for months now! I've been lusting over the Too Faced Chocolate Bar palette but have settled for the cheaper alternative. you can never go wrong with Make-up Revolution 

Do you own any of the products mentioned above? Are any of them on your wishlist?

Lots of love,

Maya xo