BLOGMAS 2017 || DAY 6 - MINI CHRISTMAS HAUL

You might have already read my Blogmas Day 1 post and seen that I picked up a few lovely bits on one of my trips to Primark. Of course, I had to go back to see if they had brought out more festive goodies. I picked up the most gorgeous tea towels for only £3.50 and I couldn't be happier! I usually buy my tea towels from there anyway but these festive ones were a must-buy.

I also bought the cutest little gingerbread men tealights for around £2! I know for a fact that I'm going to feel awful when they start melting but they'll make amazing picture props in the meantime!
Anything to do with gingerbread screams 'festive' to me, so you can only imagine how excited I was to find such bargains! I really want to make my flat look very cosy this Christmas but I'm still waiting for some bits and bobs to arrive before I show you all my first ever Christmas decorations at my own place. They probably won't be as nice seeing as I'm currently trying to save up for a house so we're living on a budget until we can figure things out, but I'm excited to share with you the next days of Blogmas 2017!

What's your must-have Christmas decor?

Lots of love,

Maya xo

BLOGMAS 2017 || DAY 3 - GIFT IDEAS FOR OLDER WOMEN

Do you find yourself running around the shops trying to find the perfect gift for someone who's difficult to buy for? Well, here's a little gift guide for older women that are difficult to buy for!

Personally, I love reed diffusers and can't get enough of them as they make my house smell amazing all year around. This little Linea set from House of Fraser will make an amazing gift for home-makers and those who like scented things in general but not wanting any more candles, haha... If you fancy splashing out a little bit then I would also suggest looking at the Jo Malone or Molton Brown reed diffusers.

Another gift you could look into is high-end accessories. I got these beautiful Erdem knee-high socks from H&M when they did a limited edition collaboration in November, however, I know you can still get these from time to time if you keep checking online. You can find some similar at House of Fraser by Biba if you're wanting to save a bit of money.

This weather has really been horrible the past few days and I've found myself having to apply ten layers of hand cream in order to treat my dry and cold hands when all I really needed was a good pair of gloves. I got these gorgeous Gucci-style gloves from Primark for only £8 and I think they'll make a great gift for those who are always cold! They can make any outfit look very stylish and effortless, and for only £8 you got yourself a bargain.

What will you be buying for your loved ones this year?

Lots of love,

Maya xo

BLOGMAS 2017 || DAY 1 - MINI DECORATIVE PRIMARK HAUL

I think I must have started my Christmas shopping in September this year as Primark had brought out the cutest bits and bobs and I couldn't resist a good deal! I picked up these cute little glittery tealights to decorate my coffee table, and the gingerbread tealight to put on my bedside table right next to this cute little reed diffuser.

The set of tealights also came in different colours, but I chose this one as the theme I'm going for this year is red and white/silver (the gold can be saved for NYE, hehe). The gingerbread man tea light is such a cute little addition to any candle lovers' collection. It would look gorgeous on a mantelpiece next to a big garland or surrounded by cute little fairy lights.

The Winter Spiced Frosted Cinamon reed diffuser sits proudly on a shelf in my bathroom for an extra festive feeling. My whole flat is surrounded by cute little festive decorations and scents which I'm excited to share with you in upcoming Blogmas posts!

What are your favourite decorations for Christmas? (Besides the obvious, duh).

Lots of love,

Maya xo

10 THINGS I HAVE LEARNT AT UNIVERSITY

Going to university was very exciting for me, especially as I was a year behind all my friends because I change my A-levels in my second year of college. I started uni in 2015 and am studying Criminology with Social Policy which is a rather difficult subject if I do say so myself. I found university very overwhelming during my first week there as I kept constantly getting lost and felt awkward trying to make plans with people who had already made loads of friends with their new flatmates as I had lived at home and commuted daily, unlike the majority of the students who lived on campus.

1. GET IN TOUCH WITH YOUR LECTURERS/TUTORS IF YOU'RE STRUGGLING
This is probably a piece of advice that I wish I followed during my first year as I found it pretty difficult to adjust to my new life as a university student - the coursework was different and a lot more difficult than A-levels.

2. DO RESEARCH BEFORE WRITING ESSAYS
I feel like I should have stuck to my own 'words of wisdom' before preaching them, haha! Always do research on a topic you're thinking about before you start your essay as you might find it halfway through that you would have done better answering a different question.

3.  BE NICE TO EVERYONE YOU MEET
This is definitely something that everyone should follow. I like to think of myself as a genuinely nice person and I'd do anything to make a person feel comfortable and confident. However, I have come across some very vile people who turned out to be a very big waste of my time but I'll save that for another post.

4. APPLY FOR AN OVERDRAFT
I was one of the (un)lucky people who has had a weekend job, so I always had that extra £200 each month, however, a lot of my friends struggled financially. I don't actually have an overdraft as I do not need one, but I would suggest looking into it, especially if you struggle with saving some pennies. The best deals that I found were opening a student account with Santander as you get a free railcard for 4 years and the overdraft limit starts from £150!

5. ALWAYS BE YOURSELF
My biggest pet peeve is when people try to impress others by not being themselves. It's fake and unnecessary, so make sure you're always being yourself as people will appreciate genuineness at this stage of life.

6. TAKE PART IN SEMINAR DISCUSSIONS
I was really scared to speak up and share my opinions on certain subjects, but once my tutor had heard what I had to say he showed gratitude and respect for my answer and never failed to get me involved in future talks.

7. NO QUESTION IS STUPID
You might be wanting to ask a question about something which might seem banal to others or look silly, but the truth is - there's no such thing as a stupid question! So, ask away as it's always better to be sure about something rather than staying quiet and confused.

8. RECORD YOUR LECTURES AND SEMINARS
Recording lectures will be your new best friend, especially on those days when you feel like crap and need lots of caffeine or you spent your night partying away! I always record my lectures and write notes as I go along so then if I made a note which I cannot remember, I'd listen to the recording and remind myself of the topic. - This is also a great revision hack.

9. DON'T LEAVE WORK UNTIL LAST MINUTE
Anyone who had been to school would already know this golden rule. I can't stress enough how important it is to do your coursework and revision on time and never leave anything important til last minute! I did this a few times during my A-levels and it did not help me pass one bit if you know what I mean... :|

10. BE CAREFUL WHO YOU MOVE IN WITH
I'm not saying this to sound like a fussy cow, but you need to consider who you're going to live with especially if you'll be sharing a kitchen and/or bathroom. The people I had lived with were sooo messy and it put me off cooking my own food! I found myself constantly cleaning up after others solely for sanitary reasons.

Are you a student? If so, what do you study?

Lots of love,

Maya xo

OOTD || LUNCH DATE WITH THE GIRLS - CASUAL DAYTIME OUTFIT FOR AUTUMN/FALL

New clothes = picture time! I took advantage of the Missguided 50% student discount on A-level results day, and I couldn't be happier with some of the items I had picked out but this post is all about the amazing Regina George style off-the-shoulder jumper.

I am sooo excited for Autumn, I cannot describe my love for candles, sweaters, blankets, scary movies etc. the list could go on and on and on! Even though it's still Summer - it surely does not feel like it! I recently went out for a lunch date with one of my good friends, Rebekah, and decided to take my new jumper out for a stroll around town.

The jumper is slightly cropped so I think it'll be most flattering with high waisted jeans and a chunky belt - I wanted to wear a belt with this pair but unfortunately, these don't have belt loops so I couldn't wear my black embroidery one :(

These Primark shoes are great, are they slippers? Are they designer? Who knows?! All I care about is that they are very comfortable to wear and look fashionable AF and cost me £1 in the sale!

I always pay attention to detail whenever I'm out with the girls just because we like to exchange jewellery from time to time, as well as recommend some brands. I recently got this birthstone ring from Boots in the sale for only £2 and thought it'll make a great addition to my already big collection. It's very comfortable to wear and is adjustable so you don't have to worry about it fitting on any finger!

If you struggle with self-confidence when it comes to trying out different styles etc. then read my post on how I face my fashion fears, or what I used to wear before I gained weight.

If you're wondering how I created this makeup look then stay tuned as there will be a tutorial on it soon!

What's your go-to lunch date outfit?

Lots of love,

Maya xo

OOTD || GLAM BEACH LOOK - DAY TO NIGHT SUMMER HOLIDAYS OUTFIT

If you've already read my What To Do In The UK During Summer Holidays post then you'd know that I recently went down to the British seaside and managed to get some nice shots taken. I didn't know the weather was going to be as nice as it was (I'm sure it came up to around 30 degrees) so I would have maybe worn a playsuit, however, I feel like this dress was perfect as it's floaty and made from thin material so it turned out as the perfect outfit!

Ever since receiving this gorgeous kimono for Christmas a few years ago, I've been obsessed with it and wear it all the time in warmer weather when it's too hot for a proper jacket but not warm enough to go without one. I believe it was in the Topshop sale for around £15-£20, so it was very affordable for a statement piece that I've been loving for years!

My cute little marble bag has made an appearance in a previous post which you can find here. I love a statement micro bag - these are huge this year as mentioned by the lovely ladies at a bloggers event in Nottingham. This gorgeous bag was only £6 from Primark which my lovely mum has bought for me on a shopping trip a while back.

This dress is honestly one of the prettiest items I've ever bought from Primark - yup, you heard it right - PRIMARK! I had seen it on Instagram and was hoping to find it in store and when I did, boy was I happy! At only £13 this is definitely a must-have this Summer. I'm not sure if there will be any left as when I bought mine there were only a few sizes left, but if you're lucky enough to find one I would suggest trying on a size down as it does come up big!

My huge hat is also from Primark, I believe it was only £3!

Have you been to Primark recently? Did you come across any bargains?

Lots of love,

Maya xo

OOTD || A TRIP TO WOLLATON PARK

When May decided to bring the most gorgeous week to England, I knew I had to get out the house and away from revision, so I decided to go to my local park in Wollaton. I believe it was around 28 degrees Celsius which is amazing for England! Shame the weather isn't keeping up with us now...

~Dress, Shoes & Bag are from Primark. Sunglasses are Oscar De La Renta.

Do excuse my bad roots - I'm in desperate need of a haircut & touch up but I find it very hard to trust hairdressers in my area as I'm never fully satisfied! :(

Kieran went all out taking pictures of me haha, I do love the fact that he takes my passion for blogging seriously and encourages me to work harder! This man is honestly amazing.

I feel like this outfit is so easily wearable! I remember when I bought this dress when it first came out and then my sister bought it as soon as she saw me wear it which not only is a huge compliment but it also means that it's suitable for all people, no matter what age or size. The mules are very comfy and I wear them literally alllll the time! And for the bag - do I need to say much? I mean, micro bags are very in right now (click here to see what's fashionable in SS17), plus the marble pattern is just music to my ears, or should I say heaven to my eyes??

What have you been up to during the lovely weather we had recently?

Lots of love,

Maya xo

OOTD & FOTD || BELL SLEEVES AND RED HALO EYES

Ever since I laid my eyes on this Primark Bell Sleeved Top, I knew it was love at first sight - I just HAD to buy it. This top was only £10... Erm, excuse me but can we just appreciate that it so affordable and looks like it could be from River Island or Topshop??

Is it weird that I dressed up just to go shopping on my own? Sorry, but if I'm going to spend money on clothes I have to wear them out even if I look extra :') I own a few bell-sleeved tops now which I started collecting last year as I think they're so flattering and make every outfit look extra special. I mean, I matched this shirt with a pair of white ripped Jamie jeans, a big buckle belt and heeled mules, and this is something you can wear to an event, shopping, drinks etc. - ANYWHERE.

I also live in my Black Mules from Primark, which only cost me £10! I'm sorry, but Primark is killing it this year with their amazing fashion steals!🔥🔥🔥
I've been lusting over big Western-style buckle belts but couldn't find one within my budget so I settled for this gorgeous but simple buckle belt for £2, also from Primark (of course). I bought this belt in this dusky pink shade, as well as a deep mahogany brown which looks beautiful with my Mom Jeans.

On the other hand, my halo eye makeup was created using the Jeffree Star Beauty Killer Palette. I absolutely love this eyeshadow palette as the number of different looks you can create is infinite! I used the shade 'Courtney' as a base shadow and added some more in my crease for extra definition. I then went ahead and blended out the shade 'Confession' in my crease and inner corner, followed by 'Violence' for extra depth. Then, finally, I used my favourite shade from the palette called 'Princess' and put it in the centre of my lid for the halo effect. - If you're wondering what brushes I used to create this eye look then click here.
And that's it! The whole eye look is complete and it only took about 8 minutes to create! I've been loving dark pink and purple shades recently so that's practically all I've been wearing the past few weeks!

Have you got a favourite outfit that you can't get enough of? What about an eyeshadow look if you were makeup?

Lots of love,

Maya xo

WHAT'S IN MY SPRING MINI CROSS-BODY BAG?

I recently got a new cute little cross-body bag, so what better post to share with you than a 'what's inside my bag'?

As you can see, the bag is quite small but I have the powers of Mary Poppins and can always find enough room to shove all my things in, haha! My purse takes up the most room in my bag and I didn't want to replace it with a smaller coin purse as I never know how many cards I will need! (By this I mean loyalty/membership/gift cards - not debit/credit cards!!)

Another essential for me is a pair of sunglasses. I'm not sure if you're all aware but I do have to wear prescription glasses and my eyes tend to get really dry and sensitive in daylight so I always carry a pair of sunnies with me everywhere I go. I got these marble ones from Primark for only £3! What a bargain!

My house keys need to be on me 24/7 otherwise, I panic haha. Once I thought I wasn't able to go to work because I couldn't find my keys when I actually hung them up on my pinboard... :'). Now I always keep them in sight - either in my bag when I'm out, or on the table next to the front door.

I used to carry around a makeup bag with a full-face of goodies inside when I was at school & college, but now I can't be bothered to carry all the weight when I'm constantly on the go with an already heavy bag. Now I narrow it down to 2-3 products and this Spring I've been loving my Benefit Porefessional License to Blot Stick (now discontinued), any of the NYX Soft Matte Lip Creams, and a small bottle of perfume - this time is the Ted Baker XO Extraordinary fragrance.

Of course, my phone is going to find its way in my bag, haha. I use it to take some pictures for my social media when I carry a small bag around but hopefully, I'll be upgrading to a new phone soon(ish) so I won't have to drag my big camera around everywhere with me anymore.


*This post contains affiliate links.

What have you got in your bag this Spring? Any essentials you can't live without?

Lots of love,

Maya xo

REVIEW || PRIMARK LIQUID MATTE LIPSTICK

I'm a huge fan of Primark's PS PRO beauty range (you can read my review of their other products here), so when I found out about the release of liquid lipsticks I nearly collapsed.

There weren't too many different shades to choose from, so I picked one which I knew I would get a lot of wear out of. I thought this shade resembles Jeffree Star's Posh Spice, which I've been lusting over for a long time so this cheaper alternative is basically perfect.

This liquid lipstick only cost £3, which is an amazing bargain. The packaging is similar to Jeffree Star's in style, and even the applicator is very alike!

The colour, as you can see above, is quite different when swatched than what it's like in the bottle. It sort of oxidises as it turned out warmer than expected.

The consistency is quite thick and it is very opaque, if I had to compare it to another liquid lipstick it would have to be NYX's Lip Lingerie in Embellishment (read my review here) but at a fraction of the price.

I would highly recommend getting one of these to try out, I guarantee you will fall in love with the product and the price haha.

What's your favourite liquid lipstick? Have you tried any of Primark's beauty products?

Lots of love,

Maya xo

2016 || AUGUST FAVOURITES

This might as well be a back-to-uni haul because all these items were new and bought specifically for uni, yet I loved them all haha!

My favourite has to be the pink diary I got from Poundland - yes, you read it right POUNLAND!
The second notebook is from Primark, and I believe it only cost me £2.50 but just look at the glitter and unicorns ahhh! It's to DIE for!
Next up, (also from Primark) I loved the 'Full Look' false lashes. They are only £1 and I usually go for the sultry lashes, however I fancied a change and saw these beauties. Oh wow, I was so happily surprised when I wore them! Of course, I reuse my lashes a few times before chucking them out, so I think £1 is an absolute bargain even if you do get rid of them after the first use!
I've been wanting to try the NYX Soft Matte Lip Cream lipsticks for a while now and I decided to purchase the shade 'Rome' - not only because it's a gorgeous colour, but also because I'm obsessed with anything to do with Italy haha (especially pizza). I absolutely love the formula, it feels like I've got nothing on, and smells a-m-a-z-i-n-g!! I'm definitely going to expand my collection soon, especially as they're only £5.50!
The whole hype about the Maybelline Eye Erase concealer turned out to be true for me too. I absolutely adore this concealer, I think the coverage is great and it hides my dark circles. The only issue I have with this product is the shade - it's not light enough!!! Come on Maybelline, sort your shit out and make some paler shades for us ghosts!!!
Last but not least, another spot cream. I don't get a lot of break outs nowadays (come on, I'm nearly 21 now, this needs to stop!), but when I do I get it bad. This little bad boy has been my saviour during August and I know for a fact that I will repurchase it until they bring out a spot cream that's better than this one, however I don't think you can top this 95p treatment from Wilko's.

What have you loved in August this year? Have you tried any of the products I've mentioned above?

Lots of love,

Maya xo

OOTD || DAY AT THE BEACH - GLAM HOLIDAY OUTFIT, FROM THE BEACH TO THE BAR

Hey Everyone!

Many of you already know that I've been to Rhodes earlier this year for 2 amazing weeks and I really want to go back! In order to keep myself happy about the memories I made, I keep going over my photo albums and reminiscing. 

I recently came across the company Adore Me who sell gorgeous swimwear pieces, and I've especially been loving their swimsuit range! 

I can't go anywhere without me statement shades - the lovely Oscar De La Renta sunnies I bought back in April for only £16.99 from TKMaxx.

Any sunglasses will work with this outfit, but remember - the bigger the better!

I absolutely adore this swimsuit! It's one of my favourites that I own (and believe me when I say that I've got a lot!). I bought it in the River Island sale last year for £20 reduced from £40, bargain! You can find it here.

The swimsuit has an another gorgeous detail to it - the cutest tassels ever! They have little beads at the bottom and look very flattering on the leg making me look a lot slimmer! Woohoo!

Like I said earlier - it's all about the detail. I love this beach cover up from Primark, I believe it was only £8 so an amazing price for a wonderful product! It has an ombré effect and goes from turquoise blue to deep ocean navy. I love it!

I got these shoes in the Primark sale for I think around £5! A fiver!! They are very comfy and I could literally walk in these all day and night and my feet still won't hurt. I believe they're flatforms with a slight wedge so they are very easy to walk in.

I thought they would look great with this outfit, especially the velcro bit - makes it lots easier to take them off and run to the sea! 

*This post is not sponsored. 

Have you been away anywhere this year or are planning on going somewhere soon? What's your favourite go-to beach outfit?

Lots of love,

Maya xo