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