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 || MAC MINERALIZE SKINFINISH IN SOFT & GENTLE, MINERALIZE SKINFINISH NATURAL IN LIGHT, AND MINERALIZE SKINFINISH NATURAL IN GIVE ME SUN!

I have been wanting to try all three of these products for many years now, and have finally treated myself to all of them. At a high price tag I've put off trying these products for so long, and now with my spending ban I wasn't really allowed to treat myself either; but when I was given some credit to use on my employee online staff shop I just had to treat myself to these (unnecessary) items.

REVIEW || LANCOME HYPNOSE MASCARA & LANCOME BONUS TIME - IS THIS THE ONLY TIME YOU SHOULD PURCHASE LANCOME PRODUCTS?

Lancôme is one of the most known and loved high-end beauty brands out there and there is a good reason for it. They sell their Hypnose mascara every 15 seconds across Europe and you can’t blame people for stocking up on this beauty.

I don’t want to give too much away from this review just yet so carry on reading for my opinion on this mascara and whether it’s worth your money.

The packaging:

I believe that the brand is known for its very luxurious and sleek packaging and this product does not disappoint. The mascara handle is narrow on the tip making it easy to grip and manoeuvre for the most precise application. I like holding the mascara by the tip to add on extra volume after applying the first coat.

The wand is quite thick with a lot of bristles for more precise application. The bristles are quite short which allows the wand to get very close to the lash line for a ‘false-lash with liner’ effect.

The formula:

The formula of the Hypnose mascara is different to most I’ve tried before as it applies absolutely beautifully from the first use up until the last, meaning that even when it dries out it still works just as well as it did the very first time I used it. The product doesn't feel sticky, it feels more smooth and creamy to touch (yes, I have touched the actual mascara to check the texture).

The longevity:

I have currently been using the travel size version of it which I received as a part of the free gift with purchase, and I must say it has lasted me nearly two months! I was told that a full-size mascara should be replenished every 8-10 weeks because of the hygiene reasons and best effect but it can usually last me around 4 months with daily use so I tend to pick up two every time they’re on gift! The product itself lasts all day/night long on my lashes and doesn't seem to wear off at all. Having very fair blonde lashes I find some mascaras difficult to cover my full lashes as no products ever seem to reach the roots of my lashes, but this mascara is definitely the best one I have tried so far that gently combs over my natural lash and defines my eyes without clumping.

The Overall Verdict:
Obviously, if you are reading this review then you are already considering whether to purchase the Hypnose mascara or not. Let me make this decision a lot easier for you - BUY IT. Try it out, if you don't like it or feel like it's not doing anything for you then return it back to the retailer, but I promise you that you will not be disappointed with this product. £25 might seem like a lot to spend on a mascara but this can last you up to 6 months which will only make it £4.30ish a month which will actually save you a lot of money as you don't need many coats of the product for the desired effect, but you might go through one drugstore mascara a month which will cost you £10-£12 a month.

Lancome Bonus Time - Gift with Purchase
To be honest with you, I didn't even know what 'gift with purchase' was until I started working in the beauty industry. I always assumed that high-end makeup brands never offered any samples or gifts, so I stayed within my budget and continued to purchase drugstore branded makeup. After finding out about the bonus time I was in shock because you could actually receive nearly £200 worth of free gift just by picking up your favourite products! I know I will most likely only purchase Lancome products when they have bonus time unless I run out of my beloved Hypnose mascara then I will just have to buy it anyway, but I know it's worth every penny!

I usually buy my makeup from House of Fraser in Nottingham as I want to support my friends and their businesses in the store. I believe that Lancome has bonus time twice a year - once in March and once in September. This year was the first year I bought enough Lancome items in one transaction to qualify for the free gift with my purchase. In March I bought two sets of the Hypnose mascara as I know how much I love the product and as the third item I bought the Honey Foaming Cleanser which melts makeup away (it's great).

As a free gift, I received:
- full-size Micellar water £23.50
- full-size Rose Sugar scrub £30
- travel size Hypnose mascara £8
- travel size Genifique serum £11
- sample size Teint Idole Ultra Wear foundation £5.50
- travel size La Vie Est Belle perfume £7
- travel size Absolue day cream £39
- travel size Absolue night cream £45
- travel size lipstick £10

More recently, in September, I purchased a Monsieur Big mascara set, Gel Eclat cleansing gel, and Creme Mousse foaming face wash. This time I already knew that I really liked the honey cleanser and thankfully it was a part of the free gift this time around so I thought I'd try something else.

As a free gift, I received:
- full-size Honey Foaming Cleanser £24
- full-size Hydra Zen Jelly mask £31
- travel size Hypnose mascara £8
- travel size Genifique serum £11
- sample size Teint Idole Ultra Wear foundation £5.50
- travel size Hydra Zen day cream £12
- travel size Hydra Zen night cream £13
- travel size comforting toner £8.50

I really hope that this post has helped you decide if Hypnose if the best mascara for you, I absolutely love it and I can't imagine myself replacing it with any other mascara, but I cannot wait to try the Monsieur Big mascara as this is my Mum's favourite.

Have you tried any of the products mentioned above? Would you recommend any other Lancome items for me to try for my next purchase?

Lots of love,

Maya xo

REVIEW || GIORGIO ARMANI LIGHT MASTER PRIMER

Remember the craze over MAC's Strobe Cream? Well, that's how I felt about this primer as I was buying it - to add a natural and radiant glow to my skin. I had also bought the Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk foundation (read my review here), so I thought it'd be best to get the 'matching' primer and try both out!

The Giorgio Armani Light Master Primer sounds like the perfect match for the Luminous Silk foundation, even though my skin gets quite oily throughout the day in my T-zone, I still decided to buy it and try it out as I love their products.

I love love love the packaging. It looks and feels expensive - probably because it bloody was hahaha. The bottle is rather big so you get a lot of product for your money.

The consistency is quite thick. I expected it to be slightly more like a liquid highlighter but I'm kind of glad it's thicker because it shows that it's supposed to work as an illuminating primer, rather than a liquid highlight. I was confused at first and didn't know whether to apply it all over my face or to the high points of it. Then after trying it out a few times - each time being different, I decided to apply it to places where my face is quite dull and needs a little bit of shine.

I came to the conclusion that this primer is great for illuminating dull skin, however, I don't think it helps my makeup stay on longer like a proper primer should... I'd say try it out for yourself, but there are many great dupes which are much more affordable, such as the L'oreal Infallible Primer Shots Luminising Primer.

*The Light Master Primer has been replaced by the Luminous Silk Hydrating Primer. This post contains affiliate links.

Have you tried the Light Master Primer? If so, what did you think of it?

Lots of love,

Maya xo

Review || Nars Illuminator in Orgasm

Good Morning Everyone!

I've been wanting to try Nars cosmetics for a while now and I finally plucked up the courage to go and buy some! My initial thought was "wow there are so many things to choose from, and I want all of them!" But I calmed myself down and decided to buy one thing that day and went for their illuminator in the shade Orgasm. 

As you can see, the tube is quite big meaning you get a lot of product for your money. I have been obsessing over highlighters for quite some time now and have recently purchased two highlighting 

palettes from Sleek - you can read my review here.

You get 30ml for £23 which should last for a long time, depending on how much product you use and how often you reach for it. For example, I mix a bit of it with my foundation for a natural glow and also dab it onto my skin as a blusher and highlight in one due to the pinkish colour.

It is very hand and easy to use. All you need to use is your finger! It is very blendable and gives a lovely natural shimmery glow to any complexion. I would highly recommend to mix it with a mattifying foundation as not only do you get a great matte finish and full coverage but also a natural glow - seems like a dream!

I have squeezed out a generous amount of the product to show you the colour of it - it's very orangey-pink with shimmer, just like Nars' blush in the same shade. I would say that this is the amount that I would use to mix with my foundation and use the left over to put over my cheek bones. So like I've said, you get a lot of product for the price and it'll last for a while.

The texture is very smooth yet watery. It almost feels like unset jelly, which makes it easy to apply and blend.

This is how the product looks like applied on the skin - it  pigmented as I had used a bit too much product and it was very hard to try and rub it into my skin! But as you can see, it gives a beautiful glow with lots of shimmer.

Do you own any Nars products? Have you tried their illuminators?

Lots of love,

Maya xo

Review || Essence Eye and Lip Liners

Hey beauties!

Who hasn't heard of Essence before? Because, oh boy, are you missing out big time or what! The products are available to buy at Wilko's in UK, I'm not too sure about other countries but I bet you can buy the products somewhere online. I adore their products. They are very good quality and very affordable! I would say I prefer this brand to MUA by far.

l-r we have three double sided kajal pencils in 15 Soul&Mate, 14 Toffee&Sweets, 01 Black&White. And t-b three lipliners in 12 Wish me a Rose, 05 Soft Berry, 07 Cute Pink.

The kajal pencils are very soft in touch and the application is very easy as they glide on along the eyelid or waterline. As you can see I have used a lot of the white half as I use it on my waterline to make my eyes look slightly bigger, not like they need to look nay bigger haha! I use the black pencil for my upper waterline and a bit along the lash line for the feline effect. I've only used the other two pencils once or twice to try out but I'm sure I'll be using them more often this Spring/Summer as they would look great with a tan.

Here are the pencils swatched on my arm, as you can see they are very pigmented and lovely colours which will suit any skin tone, even the pale me!

Those lipliners are my all time favourites and I use them nearly every day - obviously one at a time. My favourite has to be Soft Berry (middle) as I love a dark outline with my MAC Brave lipstick. It makes my lips not only look fuller but also more stylish and ombre.

Here are swatches of the liners on my arm. As you can see they are very pigmented and soft in touch. I would say these are a definite 10/10 not only for the price but also for the amazing quality of the product.

Have you tried any of the Essence pencils? Which ones are your favourite?

Lots of love,

Maya xo

REVIEW || ESTEÉ LAUDER DOUBLE WEAR MAXIMUM COVER FOUNDATION IN CREAMY VANILLA

Who's still struggling with finding the perfect foundation? Me Me Me!! But not any more. Now that I've found my long lost best friend I am forever happy. This miracle foundation is what everyone with any skin concerns needs. It does its job better than any other foundation I have ever tried - and trust me, there have been many.

I have heard so many good things about Estee Lauder's Double Wear foundations and have decided to try out both of them. I went to my local Estee Lauder counter at Boots and asked for a sample of the normal Double Wear and one of the Maximum Cover. I got given the shades 'Cool Bone' for Double Wear and  'Creamy Vanilla' for Maximum Cover. What I can tell you is that the colours did NOT match my skin tone at all. I am usually NW10 or NC15 in MAC foundations, depending on the type and consistency so I would expect to be similar colours in Estee Lauder but I guess it's just the personal opinion of the staff that work there, as well as the store's lighting.

After long consideration, I decided to purchase the Maximum Cover foundation in the shade 'Creamy Vanilla' as it is the lightest shade in the collection - not very impressed with the shade range, I'm hoping that the brand will consider expanding their shade range for lighter and darker skin tones in the future. And I am very impressed with the coverage it offers. It makes my skin look flawless, slightly orange (yikes) but flawless. Okay, I am exaggerating a little bit, it doesn't make me look orange but it is a lot darker than my natural skin tone so I have to blend it very well which can be time-consuming, or I would apply some fake tan to match this shade. However, you do not need a lot of product for full coverage which I like about this foundation as it is expensive and will probably last me for a year. A little goes a long way!

You can see here how dark it actually is and I only put the smallest amount on the back of my hand! I would say a pea-sized amount would be enough to conceal acne and scarring on my face (not saying that you need to do this). The consistency is very different from all the foundations I have ever tried. It is very velvety and smooth and almost like a cloud?? I cannot explain the texture of this foundation but it doesn't feel like you have any on your face after application so it's very good for people who wear heavy make-up and dislike the feel of it. I forget I'm wearing a full face of make-up when I use this foundation! 

Overall, I am very pleased with this product as it truly is a lightweight and very full coverage. A little goes a long way, meaning that one tube should last around 6-12 months even with daily use. Sadly, the shade range isn't great but hopefully, you'll be able to find the closest match to your skin tone. Sometimes I mix it with my NW10 studio fix foundation as it's too light for me at the moment. A girl can never win... but it's a definite 9/10!! YAY! - Estee Lauder has since updated their colour range and has added a few new undertones too.

If you are looking for a foundation that's similar to this one without breaking the bank, then have a look at the comparison between these two foundations.

Have you tried any of the Estee Lauder foundations? What did you think?

*This post contains affiliate links.

Lots of love,

Maya xo

MAC Lipstick Giveaway

Hey lovelies,

I am so sick and tired of college, revising for my A-levels and preparing to go uni this year. I wish I could go on holiday abroad with my younger sister for at least 2 months :/ But I do have one holiday to look forward to! I am going to Crete in August for two weeks with my family eek! I am also planning on going to Barcelona or Turkey with my boyfriend this year. I love to travel, it is my most favourite thing to do in my spare time. All I need to do is put away some pennies and set the date! My other favourite thing to do to lift my mood is buy new make-up, especially when it's MAC. I have 7 MAC lipsticks so far and I won't stop until I have the whole lot. Which one is your favourite? My favourite at the moment is Viva Glam Miley but it changes weekly as I don't like to wear the same colour too often. I do need a new nude lippy so I am looking forward to Cinderella edition to come out this May! So, I have decided to do this giveaway for you guys, no matter if you're sitting your exams soon or are stressed out from uni work etc. But to cheer you up. This giveaway will be for 3 months until May exams and I will reveal the winner on the 1st of May so it can be shipped and delivered to you before your exams begin. You will be able to choose what shade and finish you would like ( if you want to wait for Cinderella's lipstick to come out, let me know and I will send you that one). I am hoping to gain more followers from this and ensure that exams don't stress you out too much!
  
l-r - Viva Glam Lady Gaga, Viva Glam Miley Cyrus, Rebel, Up The Amp, Rose Lily, Flamingo, Brave.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Lots of love,

Maya xo

Review || W7 Absolute Lash Mascara

Hey guys!

How is everyone? This week has been taking its toll on me due to excessive amounts of coursework and revision for my mock exams which are next week. I am so stressed out! But what's better to cheer me up than find this amazing beauty product from W7 for only £2.49 from my local BOYES store (It is around £8 on W7's website)?

I've never heard of this mascara until I saw it in the shop, and of course I had to buy it, not just because it looks exactly like Benefit's They're Real mascara but mainly because of the price!

So as you can see, this mascara looks identical to the Benefit's one besides the fact that it is called Absolute Lashes. I would say this mascara is an amazing dupe, even better than the one you can buy on eBay which actually has the same packaging as They're real.

Here is a picture of the mascara's wand. As you can see (if you own They're Real) it looks identical to the original. It's very easy to apply onto your lashes and covers them fully from the root with just one layer. I have really fair lashes and would say that this is one of the best mascaras I've ever used.

Here's a close up of the wand, and you can see that the bristles are made out of rubber for easier application, however they aren't too stiff so it doesn't irritate the eye.

This picture shows the finished look on my lashes. I have used 2 coats and you cannot see any blonde, yay! This mascara is truly amazing, so easy to apply and oh so affordable! I suggest all you Benebabes go and try this mascara and see for yourselves! Should you splash out on They're Real or save money on Absolute Lashes? The decision is yours! 

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

Eye Make-up of the Day EMOTD

Hey there lovelies!

In today's post I'm going to show you a fee pics of my eye make-up from the other day. I was inspired by MUA's make-up artist and because I do not own the make-up items that she's used, I had to improvise with what I already have.

I used Era by MAC as an all over base. Then i drew the shadow outline with a navy eye liner from L A Colours, and filled it in with Steamy by MAC and blended it with Deep Truth also by MAC. I used my 194se blending brush by MAC and a cheap blending brush for all of the shadows and the eye liner. I also used 368 Tempo by Dior which is actually my sister's eye shadow and I used it for the inner corners of my eyes.

I used Natural Collection's liquid eye liner to define my lash line, and the Scandaleyes mascara in black to define my lashes. I also applied false eye lashes by Eylure To make my eyes pop out even more. 

From top - Deep Truth and Steamy by MAC.

Eyelure eye lashes and the blending brushes that I've used to create this look.

Tempo by Dior.

And here is the finished look. Sorry the quality of the pictures is really bad, I've taken them on my phone baring in mind it makes my skin look worse than it actually is haha!

Lots of love,

Maya xo