Beauty Giveaway

Hi everyone!

I hope you all know how much I appreciate you spending your time reading my posts and leaving comments, always being so devoted and caring! I thought I'd treat a lucky gal/guy to a few products through a new giveaway! It is worth nearly £52 so I think I've done well with providing all these items with my own money!! This giveaway will only last around a week as I am planning on creating a new one in December which will be more festive than this one!

So as you can see there's a variety of products in this giveaway which includes the following:

- 3 pairs of patterned socks from New Look

- Roll on perfume in 'Pure Dusk' from New Look

- Makeup Revolution eyeshadow palette in 'Iconic 3'

- MUA eyebrow kit in 'Dark'

- MUA brick highlighter in 'Iridescent Gold'

- Wella Professionals Moisturising Hair Treatment Mask

- Eyelure false eyelashes in 'Double Lashes'

- LE Christmas 2015 Minnie Mouse from Disney Store

So as you guys can see, there's a few things to be won which are (well, should be) everyones favourites! Even if you wouldn't keep the products for yourself they would make great Christmas stocking gifts! I especially love the eyeshadow palette and will definitely be getting one for myself soon! 

Good luck to everyone! 'May the odds be ever in your favour'!! 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Lots of love,

Maya xo

BEAUTY || FACE OF THE DAY USING LUXURY AND DRUGSTORE PRODUCTS

Today I wanted to share with you my top beauty products for an every-day look. They are mostly high-end products, however, they can be easily replaced by more affordable alternatives on the high street.

I never thought that I'd find a primer that's nearly half as good as Benefit's Porefessional, however, the Clinique's colour correcting super primer is amazing. It glides onto my face making it look and feel velvet smooth and on top of that it tones down the redness of my cheeks. It's a perfect base for anyone who suffers from rosacea or any type of redness on their face.

The next product which I am obsessed with is the Esteé Lauder Double Wear Maximum Cover foundation in shade 'Creamy Vanilla'. The current price of this product is £29.50 from what I can remember, but I have actually bought it for just under £15 on feelunique.com back in March when it was on offer. It is very thick and creamy in consistency but very easy to blend. You also don't need a lot of product for your whole face which is always a plus as it will last you longer. The only downside of this product is that it doesn't come in a lot of shades and the one that I use is the lightest shade that I usually wear when I fake tan or mix it with another product.

MAC's Studio Fix seems to be everyone's favourite foundation, however, I am not the biggest fan of it myself. Don't get me wrong, it's a very good foundation and it is affordable as it can last up to a year for only £21.50 that's only £1.80 per month, however, I find it too mattifying and drying for my skin type. BUT when I mix it with my Esteé Lauder foundation to create a lighter shade it works perfectly well and gives my skin a flawless finish. This way my face doesn't appear dry nor oily. I use the shade NW10 which I find slightly too pale for myself, however last time I purchased the NW15 and that was too warm for my skin tone! Maybe next time I will try the NW13 or continue to mix two shades together.

After applying the base I set it with a Chanel loose powder for extra coverage and to make my make-up last longer. I swear by this product and it lasts forever, I have over half of it left and I've already had it for over a year. I'd love to recommend this product to you all but sadly it was a limited edition item and is no longer available to buy.

So, the next step I applied my Bourjois bronzer. Loads of people boast about this product saying how good it is - I won't disagree with them as I do really like it but I wouldn't call it my favourite just yet (I haven't found my favourite bronzer yet, so if you have any suggestions please note them in the comment section below!). I usually apply bronzer under my cheek bones to make them look slimmer and when I've acquired my desired look I then apply some bronzer to the sides of my forehead to further contour my face. I then apply my favourite highlighter to the apple of my cheeks for a nice natural glow.  The product I have used to highlight is by MUA and I think the shade is called 'Iridescent Glow'.

For my eye look, I used MAC's Brûlée, Era and Naked Lunch. Firstly, I applied Brûlée across my eyelid and under my brow, then I blended in Era in my crease to add a bit of colour to my eyes. Era is an earthy brown shade which makes blue eyes pop out more, hence why it's one of my favourite colours! After I've blended in Era with Brûlée in my crease, I applied Naked Lunch across the to give my shadow that extra shimmer and make it look more glamorous! This is definitely one of my favourite looks to do as it is super simple and only takes a couple of minutes.

Of course for my eyebrows, I used one of my favourite compacts from Benefit. I have been using this product for nearly two years now and I still have plenty left. It is one of the best beauty purchases I have made and I must say that Benefit have smashed it with this product! I have tried a few different types of brow powders, but this one is my ultimate favourite.

I received a sample of MAC's new mascara with my recent order and I am in love with it! It's the False Lash Mascara in Extreme Black (Sadly it is not discontinued). It covers my lashes perfectly well, and as most of you know I have really fair lashes so it makes my eyes look bigger and there's no need for falsies as you can actually see the definition on my real lashes which look super long and thick! When I went into MAC's pro store in Nottingham last week to pick up a few things, the full-size mascara was on my list and I was very upset to find out that it was out of stock! :( To add more volume I applied a coat of Zoom Lash (also by MAC) which I wasn't so keen on when I first got it but it's grown on me a bit now.

I don't really like this eyeliner but it was the only one I had at the time - it's the Loreal's Super Liner Blackbuster. The brush applicator is too thick to handle with ease, which makes it harder to draw flicks to suit my eye shape. However, it's a good product but not my favourite. It's long-lasting, so would be perfect if it had a slimmer applicator.

For my lips, I used MAC's Cremesheen lip liner in shade 80% (discontinued) and Brave lipstick on top for an ombré nude lip. This is my favourite lip look which I find looks really good with most eye looks. I recommend this combo to everyone who loves a 90's lip - a darker liner with a pale middle. 

Do you own any of these products? What is your daily go-to makeup look?

*This post contains affiliate links.

Lots of love,

Maya xo

Mini Make-up Haul

Hiya beauties!

I cannot believe that there's only 35 days left until Christmas!!!! How exciting is that?! I have already started shopping for everyone's presents, but it's so hard to find the perfect gift when I have no time at all to actually go out and search for it!! I am literally drowning in coursework and revision which is not helpful, and I've been having health problems for quite some time now, which actually takes up a lot of my free time to manage everything. I am just a huge stress ball lately, and what's a better remedy than a retail therapy? ;)

What's a make-up haul without MAC? This time I have bought a cremeblend blush in Florida, and an amplified lipstick in Up The Amp. Love those colours a lot, especially the blush!

I'm not the biggest fan of cream blushes, however this one caught my attention from far. The colour is delicious and can be worn all year round as you can blend it in or add more colour under any circumstances using a good blusher brush and voilla! You will have the perfect Barbie blush in less than 2 minutes!!!

The colour of the lipstick close-up. It actually reminds me a lot of Lilac Belle by MUA but it's a different finish, however the colours are identical, so if you like this colour but can't afford it right now, then I suggest you pop down to your local Superdrug and get this lippy while stock lasts!!

Because one MUA lipstick is not enough, especially when Superdrug has a 3 for 2 offer on.

From left to right: Tulip, Bare and Flamingo. I must say that my favourite shade is Bare as it is the perfect nude this time of year and only costs £1 so it is very affordable.

Lots of love,

Maya xo

Review || MUA Lipstick in shade 16 - Nectar

Hello everyone,

I recently bought another MUA lipstick from Superdrug for £1. This time I chose shade 16 - Nectar which is a dark coral shade. I don't really have a lot to say about this product because you all know from my previous reviews that MUA lipsticks are a must-have especially as they come in so many different shades for such an amazing price. 

The packaging is very simple. Nice, sleek black and silver with the brand's logo on it. Keeping it simple, but classy. The bottom of this lipstick is 'see-through' but if you undo it, it is actually a lipgloss/balm attached to the bottom for you to choose whether you feel like wearing layers of heavy lipstick on colder days, or a hint of colour of the balm on hot days.

The lipstick looks a bit red. The texture and coverage are fantastic, especially as this lippy was only £1 from MUA. You can never have enough lipsticks. It is very easy to apply and to be honest, you don't even need to buy a lip liner because the lipstick looks great without having to accentuate your lips.

The packaging close-up. It looks similar to MAC's Morange.

Just one layer of this lipstick gives great coverage. I swatched it on my hand to show you guys how it looks on pale skin. It's a very orangey-coral shade. Perfect for the Summer.

That's what the lipstick looks like swatched layered up. It looks more bright red rather than coral.

I also bought this limited edition ChapStick in Shimmer Berry. It smells heavenly but doesn't really give any moisture, it kind of feels like it drains the lips from it :/

Lots of love,

Maya xo

Review || MUA Matt Lipsticks in Fawn Fancy and Lilac Belle

Hiya my lovelies!

So, MUA's new collection has recently come out and I just had to go and buy the new matte lipstick! I bought Lilac Belle which is a pastel purple shade, and also Fawn Fancy which is a brown nude. I really love both of these colours!

MUA's packaging never fails to impress me. I own around 7 MUA lipsticks and the fact that they are only £1 each amazes me, but the packaging looks so professional it feel like a dream! You also get a mini lipgloss with each lipstick which in the actual bottom of the packaging. You just have to undo the coloured bit and voilla! An extra product in one!!

This lipstick looks more orange than brown in this picture, but I assure you that it comes out a lovely warm brown colour on the lips!

Sorry that the picture is quite blury, it was the best one out of the few I took! Here I swatched Fawn Fancy onto my hand. It looks quite shiny but believe me, it really isn't! It looks satin/matte on the lip.

I've not tried this lipstick on yet but I am very excited to match it up with a t-shirt or maybe some funky lilac socks? ;)

Here is a picture of Lilac Belle swatched on my hand. As you can see it's quite pigmented, but you do need to apply a few layers to get an intensive colour.

Thank you for reading guys! Hope to hear from you all again! :*

Lots of love,

Maya xo

MUA Matte Lipstick Review

Hello lovelies :)

I have recently purchased MUA's Matte effect lipstick. Still a great bargain at £1 per lipstick. I couldn't find any of the other colours I liked as there was only about 3 shades left and most of the lipsticks were opened, and my friend took the last one of a dark, browny shade. I WANTED IT! 

This lipstick is in shade - Pouty Pink, it's a lovely bright pink colour. I love it.

The packaging: I thought the packaging was quite simple, but classy. The sudden change from going to white from black is nice, and makes the lipstick look like it's limited edition. It's so pretty and the fact that it cost me only £1 is just unbelievable. Move over MAC, because MUA is taking over our hearts!

The application: This lipstick is very easy to apply as it's extra soft even though the texture is matte. It was so soft that it almost glided onto my lips! I will definitely buy more of these lipsticks as they are such amazing value for money! I need the whole collection ;) Overall, I am very pleased with this product, and I hope it will last me a long time as I use it nearly every day :)

A cheeky cup of flavoured green tea, with pear and apple!
It tastes amazing and I'm such a big fan of teas!!

Lots of love,

Maya xo

MUA Lipstick Review

Hey guys!

I've read many reviews on the MUA lipsticks, and thought I will buy some to see if they're as good as other bloggers suggest. Guess what? They are! Those lipstick are amazing value for money at £1 each and are very pigmented which you wouldn't expect in a cheap lipstick.

Personally, I think that the darker shades are much better as they are more pigmented, as the lighter shades aren't as visible on the lip as the darker shades are.

Shade 3 is a dark fuchsia pink and gives a shiny and glossy finish.

Shade 5 is a very light glittery pink, and isn't very visible on a bare lip,
so I use it as a top coat for one of my other lippies.

Shade 13 is my favourite out of all three, as it's very rich in colour,
has a soft satin finish and is highly pigmented.

Here's a preview of what the colours look like on bare skin.

Lots of love

Maya xo

What's in my make-up bag

Today I wanted to show you guys what make up I use on a daily basis. My make up bag is very tiny but oh so heavy! I don't wear much make up every day, however I do like a bit of heavy eye make up from time to time! ;) I feel like a better person when my lips look good as they are rather large and the scar on my top lip bugs me so I try to wear lipstick or lipgloss as often as I can!

The Primer: I use Benefit's the POREfessional. I bought it, because I got told by a few people that it's really good and I was desperate to try it out, especially as I needed a new primer! I bought the large 44ml primer as it's better value for money, and I have been very pleased with this product since day 1. The texture of it is very velvety and it makes my skin very smooth. It reduced the appearance of my pores and fine lines. IT also makes my make-up stay on for longer. I am very pleased with this product and it is very important for me to use it every day before applying my foundation, because it gives me the soft and air brushed look.

The Foundation: This foundation might be the best one I have every bought. It gives full coverage without the caked up look. It's soft in touch and thick in texture. It feels very light when I wear it, and I don't have to keep on re-applying it for ages, until about 6-7 hours after the first application. I bought Maxfactor's lasting performance in the shade ivory. I highly recommend this foundation for anyone who has acne or suffers from redness, as the coverage is very good and there are many shades to choose from, which make life easier for pale girls like me!

The Concealer: I use Rimmel's hide the blemish concealer to hide the dark circles under my eyes from staying up too late! It's a good concealer and has very good coverage, however I don't like the texture of it as it's really thick and matte, and makes my skin look dry.

The Powder: This pressed powder was the first MUA item I have ever purchased. I have no words. It's is beyond amazing. Incredible value for your money, fantastic bargain for £1.00. It gives good coverage and a natural matte finish. I chose shade 1 which is the lightest shade, but I was originally looking for a translucent shade, but they only do a limited amount of shades.

The BB Cream: Personally I think that Garnier do the best BB creams, however the shades are very limited. I chose the lightest shade and it is still too dark for me to wear without a tan. Therefore, I only use it to add some shadow to my face during contouring. It's good to wear in the Summer, but it's definitely a no-no from me to wear in Winter with my complexions.

The Bronzer: I discovered Bourjois Delice de Poudre bronzing powder through my mother as she bought one of them a while back. What drew me to it the most was the amazing scent, as it smells of chocolate! IKR CHOCOLATE. I mainly use this bronzer for contouring my face as it's a matte shade with a tiny amount of shimmer added to it. It's very pigmented and the smell of it transfers onto my face during application which makes me even happier, just because it smells like the best thin in the world.

The Blush: I use Bourjois scented blush, because I absolutely love the smell of it. I chose the shade 95 Rose de Jaspe as I am rather pale and this shade is bright pink, but not too dark so I don't look like a Barbie doll when I apply it. This blush comes with a little brush and a compact mirror, which makes it even better! This blush is easy to apply and doesn't come off easily as it is very pigmented.

The Mascara: I bought this mascara when it first came out as I've seen it being advertised on TV and around town. I got it on offer with gel eye-liner so I was very pleased with that bargain. I really like 17's beauty products and have purchased many before, but I have never bought any of their mascaras for some reason. So trying this one was a little challenge for me, as I usually stick to Maybelline mascaras. Anyway, the packaging of this mascara is so cute and chic, I love it. It's simple but glamorous. The coverage of the mascara on the eyelash is very good. I chose the extreme black shade and am very pleased with the results as my eyelashes are naturally very fair (almost white). However, I do like to have big eye lashes and because they're already long and thick, this mascara makes them look very natural and I guess that is a good thing, but I do like to put many layers of it on and it just doesn't work.

The Eyebrow Pencil: I have been using Rimmel's professional eyebrow pencil for about 4 years now, and I wouldn't change it for the world. I use the hazel shade because my hair colour is very light and it would look weird if I had thick black eyebrows and white hair haha. It's easy to apply as the pencil lead is very soft and pigmented so you don't have to go over your eyebrows multiple times to get your desired look. This eyebrow pencil also comes with a brush, which is better value for money as you don't have to buy an extra brush to put those caterpillars in place!

The Eye-liner: MAC make up usually has very good products, however I must say that I am quite disappointed this their liquid eye-liner. It smudges and doesn't last too long so I keep having to re-apply it every few hours to get the wow effect. Overall, it is a good product, but it's definitely not worth the amount of money you have to pay to get this, as it's not long lasting and rubs off very easily.

The Lipstick: I adore MAC lipsticks. The shades are gorgeous and the texture of the lipstick make me want to keep on re-applying it because of how soft it feels on my lips. I don't really like the scent of it as it. smells like acrylic paint haha. I currently use the shade Brave, which is a nude colour and makes my lips look plump. The texture is satin and it gives a matte effect with a bit of gloss. I really like this lipstick and use it nearly every day as the neutral colour goes with all sorts of eye make up that I wear.

I hope you enjoyed this post! :)

I will try and post more often ASAP.

Maya xox