2017 || SEPTEMBER FAVOURITES

For most, September is a month of denial as you find yourself missing Summer but are stuck in between seasons, but for me, it is the month I look forward to finishing the most so I can get excited for Halloween, Bonfire Night and Christmas.
With Autumn comes a great deal of pumpkin-spiced everything, even makeup looks. I'm personally obsessed with orange-brown smokey eyes with a shiny nude lip, but I have noticed that a lot of people I follow on my social media are still going for a glowing skin with lots and lots of highlighter (you glow, girl). So you can imagine that the products I've been using and loving the most the past month include a mixture of both, Summer and Autumn products.

Makeup Revolution is definitely one of those brands that everyone would have tried at some point in their lives. For me, it is one of my favourite brands for powder products such as eyeshadows and highlighters. My favourite ones that I've been loving throughout September are the Salted Caramel Palette and the Ultra Strobe Cream which make the perfect autumnal face. Sometimes I like to use the strobe cream on the high points of my face, and other times I put it all over my face and shine like the stars!

Do you remember how big the Mariah Carey x MAC collab was? All I remember is that people were fighting over the highlighter and most lipsticks, but I managed to get a lipstick and a lipglass and boy, oh boy can I just say how stunning the colours and the packaging is?! I have actually not touched them at all until recently as I didn't want to ruin the beautifully detailed engraving on the lipstick.

Last but not least, I have been overusing stick highlighters - especially the Collection Pearl Sheen one is shade 01. I like to apply it faintly over my foundation before I set it with powder for a more blinding effect. The shade is actually really nice, not as opaque as I'd like for it to be but it was expected for the low price.

What were your September Favourites this year?

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

REVIEW || MAC MINERALIZE CHARGED WATER SKIN HYDRATING MIST - THE BEST FACE PRIMER/SETTING SPRAY FOR DRY SKIN

Have you been wondering which setting/priming spray to buy? I've tried out quite a few different ones so I guess I can be a bit of help to y'all.

The first priming water I've used was the MAC Prep&Prime Fix+ after hearing all the hype about it all over the internet. I didn't really know how to use it and the staff member who served me at my local MAC shop wasn't very nice and she seemed like she didn't care about my skincare needs so I wasn't too happy about it. Anyhow, this doesn't affect my opinion of the product - I'm just stating that I wasn't told how to use the product to begin with haha.
After moisturising my skin, I sprayed the product onto my skin as a primer and waited for it to dry before applying foundation. I also used it to dampen my beauty blender and felt like it helped keep my makeup stay put, and other times I sprayed it on top of my makeup if I felt like my skin needed some hydration. Therefore, I think that the original Fix+ is great for everyone as you get a lot of use out of it and can use it in many different ways.

But, this time I wanted to go for something more moisturising as my skin is getting more mature (I' only in my 20s but it's best to start taking care of skin ASAP in my opinion), so I went for the Mineralize Charged Water Skin Hydrating Mist which has little droplets of oil inside - it's gold okay, it's beautiful! I was a bit sceptical about getting it as I didn't want it to make my face look oily as I usually go for a fresh but matte look. The first thing I noticed was that the scent was a lot different to the original. It smells very citrusy to me which I absolutely love in facial mists - I hate the smell of Urban Decay's All Nighter Spray but I love the job it does haha!!! It is always a plus when a setting spray has a scent that you enjoy, however some people find it irritating when makeup products have scents. The packaging is the same other than the box it comes in - all mineralize products come in white packaging. I do like the lid on this product as all you have to do is twist it, but I remember it breaking on my old spray so I hope it doesn't happen this time!

Overall, I must say that this priming water is very good for those who have dry skin but only if you use it before applying makeup as I found it moved around my mascara a bit as it made it a bit wet which made it transfer onto my skin. I will continue to use it as a primer rather than a setting spray as I feel it works better for me this way :)

Have you tried any of the MAC Prep&Prime Fix+? Have you got any setting spray recommendations?

Lots of love,

Maya xo

2016 || DECEMBER FAVOURITES

Kiehl's Ultra Facial Oil-Free Toner - £17 

Yves Saint Laurent Black Opium Perfume - £91

Urband Decay All-Nighter Make-up Setting Spray - £23.50

MAC Star Trek Highlighter in Luna Luster - £24

December was an amazing month for beauty products. I managed to get hold of some great items which are all high end, but are they worth the high price tag?

I haven't tried many Kiehl's products before but after hearing some of my favourite bloggers - including Emma - rave about them, I had to buy something to try out for myself. I decided to pick up a toner, as I always buy the Clean&Clear one which I love but I feel it's too harsh for my skin type. My skin is dry in some places and oily in others so I thought I'll try the oil-free toner to use daily. I love the smell and consistency of it. It feels like it's gliding onto my skin making it feel fresh and plump. I definitely recommend it to those who have combination or oily skin, if you have a dry skin type the go for the original toner as I've also heard some pretty good reviews about it.

One of the items I asked for last Christmas was the Black Opium perfume as I've been lusting over it ever since it came out two years ago. It smells amazing and I couldn't pull myself to spend so much money on a fragrance, whereas my parents were struggling on what to get me so I thought I'd ask for this beauty! Oh boy, I am not disappointed at all - it smells divine and I can wear is as an every-day scent as well as in the evening.

The Urban Decay setting spray has been so hyped up by so many bloggers including Jeffree Star and Nikkie Tutorials, so I finally decided to get one and try it out for myself. I find that it sets my makeup well and makes it last longer, however it's not as hydrating as I was hoping for it to be. Don't get me wrong, I think it's a great product but I was expecting slightly bit more from it for the price. I do like the new design of the packaging though and know for a fact that I will be repurchasing this product!

Last but not least, the Star Trek for MAC limited edition highlighter in Luna Luster is a-m-a-z-i-n-g!!! It's great for those who love to collect LE pieces, as well as enjoy a natural glow to their face. This highlighter isn't as blinding as I was hoping for it to be, but it's still very beautiful and great for an every-day makeup look.

What did you love last December? Have you tried any of the products I've mentioned?

Lots of love,

Maya xo

THE TRUTH BEHIND MAC'S LIMITED EDITION PRODUCTS

I've always been a sucker for pretty packaging, and when it comes to MAC and their limited edition items I always go all out. The Vibe Tribe collection was a bit hit ever since the first photographs were released back in the summer, and I knew for a fact I'd end up buying a few items from the collection.

First of all, I do not believe that the term 'Tribe' should have been used for this collection as it's disrespectful towards those who actually were/are a part of one. Anyhow, I chose three items from the collection - Blush in Modern Mandarin, Cream Colour Base in Yellow Topaz, and Lipstick in Hot Chocolate'.

I must say, I was very excited about this collection as the packaging is beautiful, but to my disappointment I hated it once it came. When I think of MAC I think 'good quality' 'long-lasting' and 'sturdy packaging', however this one was so bloody light and tacky it really pissed me off. I paid a lot of money for those products and I expected them to be in amazing quality packaging, but it just feels like really cheap and light plastic that won't keep the products from breaking.

The products themselves, on the other hand, are really good. The pigment is as good as always, and I really love the purpley-nude shade of the lipstick. So, as you can see, the real problem isn't the products because they are still amazing quality and worth the money, but the packaging itself is basically - shit. I honestly do not think that it's worth refreshing the page every second on the first release, and spending loads of money on something that 'looks pretty' but won't be used. What's the point?

If you really want something from a limited collection and couldn't get your hands on it, I would suggests looking for dupes from other brands - there will always be one :)

What are your opinions of limited edition products by MAC? Have you entered my giveaway yet?

Lots of love,

Maya xo