REVIEW || PIXI BY PETRA EYE REFLECTIONS EYESHADOW PALETTES & EYE BRUSHES - REFLEX LIGHT AND NATURAL BEAUTY EYESHADOW PALETTES REVIEW

When I came home after a long day last week, my partner told me that I had a parcel delivered earlier that day and I couldn't believe my eyes and screamed when I saw a giant light green box with the label 'Pixi' written across it. Pixi is definitely a brand I love and have wanted to work with for years now! My dear friend Sophie from Life of Little Things introduced me to Pixi's Glow Tonic and I absolutely loved it - I can't wait to get my hands on the other ones, especially the milky lotion.

In the giant box that was delivered, I received two of the new eyeshadow palettes - Reflex Light & Natural Beauty - alongside 3 eyeshadow brushes in a very handy travel case. I have used the two palettes quite a few times since receiving them so have enough knowledge of the products for a full review.

Reflex Light Eyeshadow Palette £24:

This palette is definitely something I would pick up if I was browsing for some new makeup. The shades are gorgeous and very wearable, especially when paired with thick eyeliner, false lashes and a nude glossy lip. The shades swatched beautifully, and I know that a lot of the time an eyeshadow might swatch nicely but look patchy on the eye so I put this palette to a proper test.

My favourite shades have to be 3D Peach, Auburn Blaze, Vintage Gold and Antique Bronze. I found that these eyeshadows applied very easily with a flat shadow brush (I used MAC 248) or if you don’t own a flat brush then I’d suggest using your finger to apply for best results.

One thing this palette is definitely missing are matte shades for blending and transitioning the metallic colours. I do think that the shades will be great for cut creases as the pigmentation is very strong with a lot of shimmer. 

Natural Beauty Eyeshadow Palette £24:

This palette is definitely a great choice for those who prefer a natural eye look. It’ll make a great gift for Mother’s Day along with the brush set. I particularly love the shades Metal Mauve and Rose Clay and use only those two shadows for a natural smokey-eye look for work.

I found that the matte shades in this palette were a little bit powdery and had some fall out so I would recommend either applying the shadows before the base or tap off any excess before blending. The pigmentation is very good, especially in metallic shades. I do think that this palette would be slightly better if it had a neutral transition shade to make blending a little bit easier, but I don’t mind too much as I use MAC’s Brule as a base for all my eyeshadows.

I highly recommend buying this palette if you’re only starting out with makeup and want a bit of everything from your palette. This one has a mixture of mattes, satins and shimmers with one metallic shade so it’s perfect for anyone wanting to learn new looks.

Unfortunately, the brush set isn’t available for sale and I don’t think you can buy the brushes separately at the moment either. I’m hoping that Pixi will bring this set out as I really like the pencil brush (E03) and the fluffy brush (E02) is amazing for applying highlighter. The small eyeshadow brush (E01) is great at applying eyeshadow to the bottom lash line but I find it a little bit too firm to use on my actual eyelid.

Overall, I have been really enjoying wearing these eyeshadows and know for a fact that I'll get much more wear out of them than some of my other palettes (e.g. Urban Decay Naked 2). I hope you've enjoyed my mini review - if you have any questions about these palettes then pop them in the comments section below & I'll get back to you as soon as I can!

*This post includes gifted items and affiliate links.

Have you tried any Pixi makeup products before? Do you have any recommendations?

Lots of love,

Maya xo

NUDE MAC LIPSTICKS YOU NEED IN YOUR LIFE

I've been a huge fan of MAC lipsticks ever since wearing Snob was huge. Has anyone actually touched Snob since 2012? I know one person who still swears by it and it looks beautiful on her but I feel like it's too light for me to wear now, does anyone else feel the same?

Either way, I wanted to make this post a bit more old-school like the posts I used to write as I've noticed myself finding it hard to write something that you will enjoy, especially as there are so many talented bloggers out there. I think I need to fall back in love with my blog and writing, so fingers crossed I get back into a routine!

My first ever MAC lipstick, or even my first MAC item, I purchased was Brave in 2012 I believe? I was honestly so obsessed with pairing it up with my trusty Satin Mauve Essence lip liner lol, I don't think I've ever received as many compliments as I did when I wore that iconic combo. I wore that lipstick every single day until I bought Velvet Teddy which became my new favourite, and once I got my hands on the Ellie Goulding's Only You lipstick there was no going back and my collection of nude lipsticks wouldn't stop growing... A few years on and I have acquired a little collection of my go-to nudes from MAC and I don't know what I'd wear if it weren't for them.

As you can see, the two shades towards the right have been very well-loved by me - and rightfully so. If I were to recommend two shades that everybody needs in their collection it would be those two (Brave and Velvet Teddy) as they look gorgeous on all skin tones and can be worn with all types of eye makeup (smokey, natural, colourful etc.).

The shades I haven't worn as much are Only You and Hot Chocolate as they were limited edition and I know I'll cry the day I run out of them. Saying that, I do need to wear them more often as unfortunately, they have an expiry date :( It might also look like I haven't worn Spirit or Mehr much either but Mehr was my most recent addition thanks to Back 2 MAC, and this Spirit lippie was a repurchase as I lose my very well-loved first one on a night out! RIP :(

Here you can see the lipsticks swatched on the inside of my forearm, I even labelled each swatch for you so you should be eternally grateful ;) Majority of the time I will wear Mehr or Brave as I do prefer a satin/matte finish and more of a pinky-nude but that doesn't mean that I neglect the other shades, well, not too much anyway.

Spirit: A 'muted pinky-beige brown' shade with a creamy satin finish. Well, this one has definitely been described as more than one shade haha! This lipstick looks amazing with a bit of Velvet Teddy in the middle of the lip to enhance the natural shape and size of your lip. (#TopTipsWithMaya)

Velvet Teddy: A 'deep-toned beige' shade with a no-shine matte finish. Like I've mentioned above, this was one of my most used shades when I purchased it. I think I wore it every single day for a few months so I'm surprised that I even have any of it left! Who remembers the massive hype over this shade? Was it Zoella who mentioned it?

Brave: A 'pink-beige with white pearl' shade with a creamy satin finish. Ah, my very first MAC purchase which will always be my favourite lipstick shade. I will definitely repurchase this over and over again as it's one of those classic shades that will never go out of style. I will be devastated if this was ever discontinued!

Mehr: A 'dirty blue-pink' shade with a no-shine matte finish. This shade was actually recommended to me by one of my good friends as it was her favourite during her time working at MAC, so why wouldn't I want to try it out?! It has now become one of my staples and I carry it in my bag wherever I go to top-up throughout the day. I urge for anyone with blue/green eyes and light coloured hair to try this shade out as it will make you stand out from the crowd.

Whirl: A 'dirty rose' shade with a no-shine matte finish. This is definitely one of my favourite shades to wear on days/nights out as it's a very versatile shade that goes with any makeup look as well as outfit. Does anyone else choose their lipstick based on their outfit?

Hot Chocolate: A 'cool-plum' shade with a creamy satin finish - limited edition. I know I said that you need this shade in your life but then I realised that it's a limited edition, oh I realised this after taking pictures so thought there's no going back #SorryNotSorry. This is a gorgeous shade and if you really like plummy-nude shades then you can find it online for a high price-tag. But if you don't feel so hot about spending £30 on a lipstick then try out Urban Decay's 1993.

Only You: A 'muted mid-tone coral' with a cremesheen finish - limited edition. Well, I can tell you that this description is complete BS because it is more of a pinky-nude shade with a lustre finish. It does look beautiful on though, especially if you don't like intense shades or the feel of lipstick on your lips. You can buy this lipstick online on Depop or Amazon, or try out MAC's Patisserie instead.

Which one is your favourite shade out of my collection? I feel like I should write this kind of post for red lipsticks too as when I don't wear nude lipstick you'll definitely find me in a red instead. Let me know if you use any of the shades I've mentioned and if there are any that I should try out!

*Quick disclaimer - two (Mehr & Spirit) of these lipsticks were from the Back 2 MAC program so I did not pay for them. This post also includes some affiliate links.

Lots of love,

Maya xo

BEST AFFORDABLE DRUGSTORE DUPES FOR HIGH-END MAKEUP

I cannot be the only person who's on a constant lookout for a more affordable dupe of a favourite product. It all started with my Urban Decay Naked 3 palette, one that I love and use regularly but never want it to run out so when I saw that W7 created a palette with similar shades I had to try it out.
If you have read my review of the UD Naked palettes then you'll know that I think they're slightly overpriced for what you get. On the other hand, the W7 palette is only £7.99 but you can buy it here for only £5.99 which is less than 1/6 of the price for the real thing. The W7 palette is very similar to the UD Naked 3, the shadows swatch nicely and come up quite pigmented on the lid but there is a bit more fallout which is to be expected.

Another product that I've had my eyes on was the Milani Conceal and Perfect 2in1 foundation which has to be the perfect dupe for the Clinique Beyond Perfecting foundation. I picked the shade 05A Natural which turned out to be a lot darker than I thought but it blends lovely when I wear fake tan. One thing I noticed about the Clinique foundation was that it comes in 28 shades, but the Milani one only comes in 16 shades which is a downside to it as it might not suit everyone. The coverage of the Milani foundation is absolutely fantastic, I feel like it sits on my skin better than the Beyond Perfecting foundation and for only £12.95 I cannot fault it at all.

Last but not least, the L.A. Girl Strobe Light Highlighter! I'm a huge fan of the L.A. Girl Pro Concealers so I've been wanting to try more of their products, including this strobing highlighter as it's the perfect dupe for the Jeffree Star Skinfrost in Ice Cold. Being pale isn't fun when it comes to picking the right highlighter shade, so when I saw that L.A. Girl has come out with the brightest highlighter in the drugstore I knew I had to have it. At first it might feel like it's a bit too powdery but once you go in and swirl your brush in the compact you'll see the pigment transfer onto the brush and change your life forever... I have been wearing this highlighter every day for a while now and I must say it is now a staple in my makeup bag and I wear it more than the JS Skinfrost as it shows up more pigmented and stays on for longer.

*This post was a collaboration with Beauty Based and the products mentioned were gifted to me. However, all opinions are mine and always remain honest.

What's your favourite high-end makeup product that you found a perfect dupe for?

Lots of love,

Maya xo

REVIEW || L'OREAL INFALLIBLE TOTAL COVER FOUNDATION VS. ESTEE LAUDER DOUBLE WEAR MAXIMUM COVER FOUNDATION

You might have already heard about the L'oreal Total Cover Foundation and contemplated whether it was worth your money. Well, as I've mentioned before I have very oily and acne-prone skin so any products that'll cover up my imperfections are high up on my list! After hearing good reviews of this product I thought it was time to put it up to the test and compare it to my all-time favourite full coverage foundation by Estee Lauder.

TOP 5 || £5 & UNDER

So you're curious about my top 5 beauty products that cost £5 or less? Well, you've clicked on the right post because these products will change your makeup routine forever.

You might have probably already seen some of these items in previous posts as I cannot stress enough about how good they are. Let's start off with the L.A. Girl Pro Concealers - I bet you're bored of hearing about them but they are as good as they all say! I own the shades Porcelain for highlighting and concealing and the shade Toast for contouring, even though it's a little bit too warm toned for my liking. These come in a great variety of shades, including colour correcting concealers for better coverage. I have reviewed both of these shades already, so if you'd like to see what I thought of them in detail then click here to read my post.

Talking about the perfect base, my new favourite setting powder has to be the Collection Primed & Ready Invisible Setting Powder. Not only does it provide really good coverage, but it stays put all day and has witch hazel in it to keep the spots at bay! It costs a bit over £5 on Amazon, however you can get it on Superdrug for £3.99 when it's back in stock here.

There seems to be a pattern forming as the next two products I'm about to mention are also by Collection! Maybe they're the new best affordable brand? Moving on, glitter liners have been a big hit in the noughties, but now majority makeup fanatics and artists love to use loose glitter - not me because it goes everywhere hence why I love the Collection Glam Crystals Gel Liner. These come in a big range of colours and I own about 7 of them! The gold one is my most worn one as it goes with any eyeshadow looks and creates an instant glam effect. Another product which I think goes perfectly with the glitter liners is the Collection Extreme 24 Hours Felt Tip Liner as it glides on very smoothly, even on bumpy surfaces. The tip of this liner is very thin so it makes creating a slim and precise wing a lot easier!

Now, last but not least a set of 4 Eyeshadow Brushes for 97 pence! Yup, you heard it right 97p. I use these on a daily basis, even when I want to do simple eyeshadow look but especially when I go for a dramatic smokey eye as they are very easy to use, and for less than a quid you can't go wrong! Out of all these products, I would highly recommend the brushes and the concealers as they are something I use daily.

*This post includes affiliate links.

What are your favourite affordable products? Have you tried any of the ones I mentioned above?

Lots of love,

Maya xo

FOTD || EVERYDAY AUTUMNAL EASY GLAM MAKEUP LOOK

Autumn is definitely my favourite season of the year, even though I love Summer because it usually means that I get to travel somewhere nice, but Autumn is the season of cosy clothes and nice smelling candles. What I'm looking forward to the most is being able to wear dark lipstick and dark eyeshadow without getting judged by people - no, I am not a goth.

I don't necessarily think that this is a very dark or gothic look, but for me, this is the perfect Autumnal makeup look for my skin tone and hair colour. It is very flattering and easy to create, and here are the items I had used to create it:

The eyeshadows I had used include: NYX shadow in the shade Immaculate, and MUG shadows in shades Grandstand, Morocco, and Bitten. I wanted to wear a bit of eyeliner to make this look a bit more glam, but I'm out of practice and found this look glam enough to leave it as it is! The magic mascara that I've been obsessing over since the first use is the Lancome Hypnose Mascara. I love this one for elongating and volumising my lashes, it's got amazing coverage to it and I find that only one coat is enough for a full look.

If you've been after a full coverage foundation that isn't extortionate, then you need to try the L'Oreal Total Cover foundation, like, now. It glides on very smoothly and feels like velvet on my skin which is always a plus because who wouldn't want baby-soft skin? I find that the coverage of this product is very high - but I won't get into it too much as I'd like to save it for a full review. Of course, I had to use my current favourite concealer and contour shade, both by L.A. Girl as these work amazingly and the price is very much affordable! To set my foundation in place, I used the Collection Primed & Ready Invisible Setting Powder which works wonders for my combination skin, especially the oily t-zone. My favourite bronzer since 2015 has to be Hoola by Benefit which has actually lasted me nearly 2 years when I've been using it every day, so it's definitely worth the high price tag. To brighten up my face, I use my favourite Milani blusher in shade Tea Rose and Sleek highlighter in Midas Touch - I mix the pink and the white together for a blinding, yet natural highlight. My current go-to lipstick is the Colourpop Ultra Matte Lipstick in shade LAX, which was obviously applied over my favourite lip balm from Carmex.

As you can see, the majority of tools I had used to create this makeup look are by Real Techniques as they truly do amazing brushes, and I cannot wait to complete my collection! I also really want to try the Bold Metals collection, but because they're quite pricey I think I'll wait until Father Christmas pays a visit to my house! I also included a brush from MAC and Colourpop which are some of my all-time favourites.

*This post includes gifted items - all opinions are my own and are in no way influenced at all.

Have you caught up with my monthly favourites post? What's your favourite autumnal makeup look? Would you try this one out?

Lots of love,

Maya xo

ARE COLOURPOP COSMETICS REALLY WORTH THE HYPE?

So, you're either wondering whether to try out some Colourpop products, want to see my collection, or are genuinely interested in what my thoughts are of this brand and their cosmetics. I have quite a big collection of Colourpop cosmetics for one main reason - I absolutely love the products and the brand and think they're very affordable even with customs charges.

If you've previously read my review of their liquid lipsticks, super shock shadows, or lippie stix then you will already know that I love all of their formulas and that they are very long-lasting. My collection has grown over the past year, and I believe I made my first order back in October 2016. You'll notice that some products are brand new and some have been loved very much, but now I have tried all of the products (the images were taken a while back) I can safely say that I have fallen in love with Colourpop even more than I already was from my very first review, and will continue to purchase their items whenever there are any offers!

My favourite products from Colourpop which I can't imagine doing makeup without would probably have to be the liquid lipsticks or lippie stix as they are the only lipsticks I've been using since last year. I'm not trying to exaggerate how good they are, but they're bloody amazing and you need them in your life NOW. I own 9 liquid lipsticks and 6 of the lippie stix, yet I still want more... I only buy Colourpop products when they are on offer to get my money's worth after I add the customs charges on top of my bill. The best offer I came across was the '3 for $10' which meant that I got the individual shadows and lipsticks which usually retail at $6, for $3.33 each - say no more.

Another great deal would be the 'value sets' which include 3 products for the price of $15 or 4 for $18, which is still a bargain especially if you live in the US and don't have to pay customs. There are usually good offers on delivery too, such as free worldwide shipping on orders over $50 - so imagine the 3 for $10 offer, you get 15 products for $50 and free delivery!!

The only eyeshadows I have tried are the super shock ones, and boy, was I shocked at how pigmented they were! All it took was a light swatch and I fell in love straight away. They're also very soft and buttery in touch which makes the application and the blending process a lot easier than most shadows. These also come in pans so you can create your own palette but I'm still yet to try them!

One of the orders I put through included a deal 'free eye makeup brush if you buy two eyeshadows' so (obviously) I got 4 shadows which were on offer for $18 for the set and was given two brushes. I picked the flat shadow brush and liner brush to try out, there was one more to try out but it was sold out :( better luck next time! I really enjoy using the angled liner brush for my brows, it makes filling them in a lot easier as it's very thin plus it works really well for outlining the perfect arch. The other brush, however, is quite hard to use. I don't use it for eyeshadow unless I create a halo eye look and add loose glitter to my lid, but I mainly use this brush for applying an eyeshadow primer to my lids.

So now that you've read what I think of Colourpop cosmetics, what are your opinions? Are you convinced that the products are good? Would you try them out for yourself?

Lots of love,

Maya xo