REVIEW || THE GIRL ON THE TRAIN - PAULA HAWKINS - ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS EVER WRITTEN?

Who hasn't read this amazing book yet? This is hands down the best thriller/crime books I've read so far. Remember everyone going on about the 50 Shades trilogy? And how overrated the books actually were? Well, this one definitely won't disappoint.

I never wanted to put this book down. It had a slow start but once I got into it I could not stop. It kept me on the edge and wanting to read on - exactly how a book should make you feel.

My favourite character has got to be Rachel (who's the main character), even though she's barely functioning like a normal person she is very interesting.

I don't want to give anything away but I will definitely be queuing up for tickets the day the movie comes out!

Have you read this book yet? Would you recommend it? What were your thoughts about it?

Lots of love,

Maya xo

REVIEW || NATURAL COLLECTION HIGHLIGHTING STICK IN SHADE ROSE GLOW

The obsession over testing out one brand at a time has taken over the blogging world, and I couldn't help but notice that Natural Collection has come out with a new line of products. Obviously, I got the new products, but the one I want to focus on today is their highlighting stick!

I'm no stranger when it comes to strobing and highlighting, I honestly go all out! I'm currently obsessed with the Makeup Revolution highlighters - they're seriously so good.

I got the shade "Rose Glow" which I think is the perfect shade for my skin tone as I've got warm pink undertones. The packaging is quite basic, I don't like it very much and it's a lot like the ELF all rounder stick. However, it only cost £1.99 so I didn't expect much. I was hoping for it to have more product though as it is quite small.

As you can see the colour is very pinky gold, kind of like champagne pop by Becca. I do love this colour, I think it'll suit all skin tones as it's not too light and not too dark - quite universal.

This swatch just proves my point, look at the pigment! It's absolutely beautiful and easy to blend. The only issue I did have with it is that too much product applies with the lightest swatch! So it's best to apply it with a brush or a beauty blender.

Here's a swatch of the highlighter blended into my skin, so you can see that it's quite warm but still very shiny - yes please! I do want to try the other shades from the collection, but I need to get more wear out of this one first! 

Have you tried Natural Collection's new highlighters? If so, which one did you pick up?

Lots of love,

Maya xo

FOOD || FIRST ATTEMPT AT A SMOOTHIE BOWL - FAIL!

Good Morning Everybody!

I've been getting so much inspo from Instagram smoothie bowl pages that I wanted to create my own.

Smoothies are a massive part of my life anyway, I tend to have at least 3 a week because they give me lots of energy and just make my mornings 10 x better!

For this smoothie bowl I had used:

-a handful of frozen berries

-half a frozen banana

-almond and coconut soya milk

-special K cereal with red berries

This is what has come out of it! I don't know about you but I think that's acceptable for my first attempt haha!! At the end of the day, it was really yummy and healthy and filled me up for the whole morning!

Have you tried a smoothie bowl? How did it turn out? 

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

REVIEW || MODELS OWN HYPER GEL POLISH IN MIDSUMMER MAUVE - BEST NUDE NAIL POLISH

Hey Lovelies!

I haven't done a nail polish review in quite some time now, so I thought I'd share with you my favourite varnish this year - the Model's Own Hyper Gel Polish in shade Midsummer Mauve. 

I've been using this shade since December (which was when I bought it), however I have been wearing it more often now for work as we're not allowed to wear any bright shades or makeup - keep everything au naturel but my way.

I really like the bottle, I think it's very stylish and the lid is easy to hold while painting. Also, the cap has the colour of the polish shade on it so it makes it easier to pick out from my collection as I have quite a few nail polishes.

I usually apply two coats of this product, but sometimes you only need one depending on how much you apply the first time round. For those pictures, I applied 3 coats just to see whether it'll be any different to when I only wear 1 or 2 coats, and I was pleasantly surprised! They actually looked like real gel nails and lasted slightly longer than normal.

I would say that it starts chipping after 4 days which is amazing for a nail varnish for only £4.99 as many of my Essie polishes chip after two days.

I honestly recommend this product to those who love new shades on their nails and want a high quality effect. I mean, you can either go get your nails done for £20-odd or only spend £4.99 and have this little bottle last you for months!

Have you tried any of Model's Own Polishes before? If so, which ones do you recommend or stay away from?

Lots of love,

Maya xo