Preparing for uni life

Hi guys,

Today's post is slightly different and I decided to share with you my honest opinion of my first semester at university with tips on how to survive and prepare yourself for the drastic change after college. Whether you're staying at home while at uni or living in an accommodation you will still need as much financial and social help as possible.

I was entitled to a grant as well as a loan so I did receive a large amount of money to spend on the things I needed for my studies. I have decided to spend my first instalment on everything I needed for the first year and then save the following two instalments for the future. I spent my money on an iPad Air 2 with 128Gb with a wireless keyboard and a new pair of headphones. That was a pricey investment but I'm very glad I bought it as it is a lot easier for me to take notes as it speeds up the process and automatically correct my spelling haha! It is also easier for me to carry as I don't have to drag heavy books around with me all day! 

The next product I splurged on was a new pair of straighteners - GHD coral edition. I needed new straighteners as my Vidal Sassoon ones broke after being a very dear friend to me for 5 years :(. I had to treat myself for getting into my first choice uni! I bought most of my books that I will need in order to pass my first year (duh, kind of the most important thing) and lots and lots of stationary! 

I also splurged on makeup and clothes for winter - so I'm warm and cosy all season round! On top of that I needed a haircut and was going to have a regular trim at one of the hair salons I usually go for, but I decided to go to Vidal Sassoon to see for myself what all the fuss is about and you'll find out soon with my upcoming post featuring their hair products! 

I do regret splurging so much and not saving enough money, however I have learnt from my mistake and have now been putting away some money to the side for whenever I might need it seeing as I do spend my monthly wages on random crap! I have realised that becoming an adult comes with a lot of responsibilities especially if you go to uni and stay at home. I feel more independent but not independent enough to take many matters into my own hands. I feel like I'm rarely at home and don't spend a lot of time with my family which is upsetting but I do have a lot going on with my uni work and my actual job as well as trying to maintain a social life and attend society events. 

The first rule is - pack all the necessities and more. You can never have too many clothes - bring everything that you need with you as you might not find the time to do your weekly wash, so you need to have some spare clothes to wear on laundry days! Make sure you bring a medicine cabinet with you (literally). Even though I live at home I have bought so many types of medicine, plasters, creams etc. To keep in my room away from everyone so they don't nick any of it and that its always available to me. I keep a packet of ibuprofen tablets and plasters in my handbag just in case I needed them. Next step -food. Make sure you have a lot of 'emergency' food such as baked beans, spaghetti hoops, soups etc. As you might not always have the time to cook a proper meal or lack ingredients, so this is the easiest way to survive! I would also recommend purchasing a water filter jug instead of spending loads on bottled water as it does taste exactly the same and is always available, saving you time on running to the shop for some water.  

Another rule is - you can never have too much stationary. I own tonnes of ring-binders, refill pads, pens, pencils etc. The only thing I want now is to have my own printer as I don't like to carry all the printouts from uni to my house, because when I do print out things there's millions of it and I'd hate for it to crease in my bag.

Make sure you join societies in order to make friends who share similar interests to you as this will help you gain needed social skills and make you more appealing to employers. Sports are also important as they keep you fit and you also get to meet a lot of people with similar interests and hobbies. I personally haven't joined any sport societies or clubs, but I am a member of the Sociology Society and Fashion Society. I just wish there was a Blogger society!!

I think what helped me the most to organise my free time and study time was creating a timetable of when I have my lectures and seminars and when I'd like to revise and ow long for. We are supposed to do 20 hours of independent work each week after all....


How have you guys prepared for uni? Are any of you staying at home while studying like me?

Lots of love,

Maya xo

2015 || October Favourites

Hi beauties!

So I know I've been lazy again not sticking to my blogging schedule, but I have many great posts for you guys coming soon!

I know I've bombarded you with monthly favourites last week which I had to catch up on, and they have been rushed, but let's hope you guys enjoy this post!

So, last month favourites are all beauty related. There's the FATHAIR dry shampoo, L'oreal's Sublime Bronze moisturising oil, Superdrug's own brand Tea Tree Skincare, Rimmel's Stay Matte powder, and MAC's Studio Sculpt foundation and Fluidline brow gelcreme.

The first product I am going to talk to you guys about is the FATHAIR dry shampoo. It was a great find as me and my mum found it in Poundworld so quickly grabbed one each to try it out, especially as it retails at £5.99 in superdrug. I was disappointed with this product at first as I didn't think it gave my hair much volume, nor the 'cleaninless' if that's even a word? I thought it was really bad compared to my all time favourite Batiste, however I started using it more to see if maybe it was a bad hair day I experienced, and I was right. This product is amazing, it lifted my roots up and made my hair look 3 times bigger than normal. It also made my hair look less greasy after not washing it for 1-2 days. I highly recommend it, and hope you guys can find it in Poundworld like I have!

The next product is L'oreal's Sublime Bronzing oil. It was also a great find in Poundworld (honestly, it is probably one of my favourite shops now!). It made my skin feel very soft and not at all greasy. It's a great tan enhancer as it moisturises the skin and preps it in order to keep fake tan on for longer. I combined it with my MakeBelieve fake tan and the results were fantastic. I felt really good about how my skin looked, especially as I'm naturally very pale, it was a nice feeling!

I walked into Superdrug to find myself surrounded by lots of offers and I came upon this great Tea Tree range with the products being on offer 2 for £4. I've never tried Superdrug's own brand skincare products so thought I'll give it a go, especially as I was in need of some new spot treatment products. The cleanser/toner is very gentle on my skin and makes it feel soft and fresh - exactly what I was looking for. It cleanses spots and blackheads well getting rid of excess oils, leaving the skin feeling tight and smooth. On the other hand, the foaming facial wash was trickier to use as the foam started evaporating as soon as I put it on my hand and felt quite odd putting it on my face, but the results were unexpectedly good. It made my skin feel very clean and fresh, but I did have to use it twice in one wash in order to get rid of all oils and dead skin cells. I would definitely recommend both of the products to anyone who's suffering with bad skin, as they are affordable and good value for money.

Rimmel's Stay Matte powder was something I wasn't too sure about buying as I've had it before when I first started wearing make-up 5-6 years ago and I didn't like it very much, however I recently repurchased this item as it was on offer in Boots for 3 for 2 and because I needed a spare powder to keep in my bag rather than having to take my huge Chanel loose powder as it goes everywhere if I keep it in my bag! I chose the transparent shade as I don't like high coverage powders and only wanted to use it on my T-zone to reduce the appearance of oil on my skin and it does a pretty good job. It retails at only £3.99 and is totally worth getting as it makes my foundation stay on for longer and reduces the appearance of oil on skin.

I recently ran out of my BrowZings from Benefit and I was really upset! Even though it lasted me for nearly 2 years  and was an amazing product, I decided to go for something new just to try it out. I went into my local MAC store and asked for help with my brows and got told that the shade 'Dirty Blonde' would suit me best. I agreed with them at the time but now that I've changed my hair colour back to grey I don't think it suits me that much so I go over it with an ashy eye shadow. However, It is very easy to apply and lasts forever once it's been applied properly. I do like to go over my eyebrows throughout the day to make them appear slightly darker and neater if I've had the same make-up on for a whole day. I would recommend this product for people who know how to apply gel products with a brush and have a steady hand as I struggled with the application for the first few days of having this products until I watched a couple of YouTube tutorials.

Last but not least, MAC's Studio Sculpt foundation in NW15. I have always been a big fan of MAC's foundations and this time I wanted to go for something moisturising rather than mattifying and was advised to go for Studio Sculpt. I was very excited to try this foundation but once I got home I thought I made a terrible decision as it didn't sit well on my face and kept smudging in places and didn't cover any redness etc. I was very disappointed with it until I started using a different technique while applying this product. I use a different foundation brush and then dab powder onto my skin and add a bit of Fix Plus spray to keep my face looking fresh and make-up last longer. I would recommend this foundation for people who have normal to dry skin and mostly with 'perfect' skin aka zero spots as it doesn't look great on my skin (I have many post acne scars).

Have you tried any of these products? What are your October Favourites?

Lots of love,

Maya xo

Tanya Burr for Glamour Magazine

Hey guys!

So yesterday I picked up a copy of one of my all time favourite magazines - Glamour. I was so excited when I watched Tanya Burr's video where she announced that she's going to be on the cover of Glamour's December issue. She looks phenomenal. She's always been portrayed as the good girl but now we can see a different side to her - slightly more edgy and sexy. I must say she definitely is my new girl crush!

I think what excited me more than Tanya looking fabulous, was the free gift that came with the mag! Clinique have always been one of my top high-end brands and to find out that they were collaborating with Glamour yet again and this time they included lipsticks was like music to my ears! I quickly grabbed a copy with a gorgeous nude lipstick shade and I instantly fell in love with it. I know there's an another shade which is more reddish - I think it's called Cherry Pop? Either way, it will be mine once I find it!

Did you manage to get a copy for yourself? If so, what free gift did you choose?

Lots of love,

Maya xo

2015 || August Favourites

Hi lovelies!

I have actually forgot to post the August Favourites, hence why the September Favourites post has been posted before this one! I don't have a lot to talk about as I don't remember what I used much that month, however I did manage to get hold of Miley Cyrus' new Viva Glam range and were using both her shades throughout that month religiously.

The Viva Glam 1 is an amplified hot pink which looks great on with a smoky eye in the evening or in the day with a bit of black waterproof mascara. The Viva Glam 2 is an orangey-red matte finish which looks fantastic with a classic winged eye liner and false lashes.

Do you own any products from Miley's range? Which one do you prefer?

Lots of love,

Maya xo

2015 || September Favourites

Hey guys!

Most of you already know that I am a massive tea drinker and I've previously reviewed Clipper's tea here. As September is such a dreary month, I've been drinking more tea. I'm a big fan of green and herbal teas, especially in the morning while I'm getting ready or at night before bed. 

Lemon green tea are very refreshing to have in the morning and because it has caffeine it will wake you up instantly. If you find green tea a bit bitter, you can always use a sweetener or one teaspoon of sugar for added taste. I would recommend using honey instead of sugar just because it tastes nicer and is healthier. :)

You could also add a slice of lemon or orange for extra taste. I love putting slices of lemon, orange and a couple of mint leaves in filtered water as it's a good cleanser for your system and gets rid of unhealthy toxins!

This tea retails at around £3.00. I bought it on offer for only £1.00 which is a complete bargain for 80 tea bags.

The Snore&Peace tea is very calming and sends you off to sleep. It is especially useful for people who share a room and feel like they are disrupting the other person with their snoring as this tea helps to clear out the nasal cavity, enabling the person to breathe through their nose without snoring. It is very tasty, and I highly recommend it to those who have snoring problems or are just after a peaceful night.

Have you tried any of these teas? If so, what did you think of them?

Lots of love,

Maya xo