REVIEW || S+ BY RESMED - HOW TO GET A GOOD NIGHT'S SLEEP (AD)

So, I bet you're all wondering 'How can I get a good nights' sleep?' well, listen up folks because I think I found a solution!

I was recently sent a monitoring advice called S+ by ResMed which has been designed to detect your breathing and monitor your sleep cycle.

I couldn't wait to try my S+ out and when it finally came I opened it up straight away. I went through the instructions with Kieran as we both suffer from sleep deprivation (his is much worse than mine so I thought it'd be best for him to try it out and see if it made any changes).

We set the monitor up next to our bed pointing towards Kieran's chest so it can monitor his breathing and movement. It has two charger ports so you can charge your tracking device (you have to download the app to see results) as well as turning on the S+ by ResMed.

It didn't come packaged quite like this, but I do try to keep it in the box as it is a valuable product to both myself and Kieran. The cable is long but I feel like it would benefit from being slightly longer as I do have to use an extension lead to place it comfortably near our bed (sucks not having closer plug sockets).

This is what the app looks like when you open it up. I have already registered and got Kieran to answer a short(ish) quiz about his sleeping habits, such as if he sleeps with the light on or if he watches the telly before bed.

As you can see, the S+ is a small monitoring device which (to me) is quite stylish. I would easily keep it out the box and store it on my bedside table but with my OCD I prefer to keep it in the box ha ha.

Here you can see one of the nights when we used the product and Kieran's sleep score was quite high, bearing in mind he only slept for 6.5 hours. The recommended amount of sleep a person our age should get is 8-9 hours so you can only imagine how tired he felt when he got up that morning!

Here you can see the tracking of Kieran's sleep. It's hard to get a good nights' sleep being a student and living in a noisy accommodation!

The quality of your sleep also depends on your mental health, so if you suffer from anxiety then it's likely your sleep won't be as good as it should be. If you do suffer from anxiety and find it hard to sleep then I suggest listening to calming music/sounds or meditating before bed.

Here you can see that my details are included on the app which I had done to protect Kieran's privacy however, he filled out the survey and information (such as weight etc).

Overall, I think this device is great for monitoring sleep cycles and try to overcome insomnia as well as learn to get better sleep. It's very handy and doesn't take up too much room. Kieran has mentioned that he feels slightly better about his sleep knowing what it is that wakes him up throughout the night and how to improve, therefore we both think that S+ by ResMed is a great investment to those who suffer with sleep deprivation.
The only issues I have with this is that you need to use wifi overnight which drains battery (it is suggested you charge the device your app is installed on using the same port the S+ is connected to), and also it would have been useful if it monitored both of our sleep cycles rather than just one person's at a time.

You can buy the S+ by ResMed here.

*This post includes PR samples.

Do you struggle with sleep? Have you got any helpful tips on how to get better quality sleep?

Lots of love,

Maya xo

REVIEW || DENIVIT ANTI-STAIN INTENSE WHITENING TOOTHPASTE

After trying out many teeth whitening products, including the Procoal charcoal powder, I thought I'll give drugstore products another go. I bought this Denivit toothpaste for around £2 at my local Savers store so I wasn't expecting anything amazing to come out of it for that price, but I shouldn't judge a book by its cover, right?

I have to say I'm not the biggest fan of the packaging as it's very awkward to squeeze the product out the tube, but I guess it's good for letting the product go down to the nozzle before application. I do prefer to buy kinds of toothpaste that are easy to squeeze out rather than come in thicker tubes that are impossible to get the product out. This toothpaste is quite small so with daily use it would only last around 1 month, so it might not be the best option for you if you're on a strict budget. However, I believe that it was under £3 so it won't exactly break the bank if you really wanted to try it.

The consistency of the toothpaste is really smooth and tastes like bicarbonate soda, so it should really be used alongside a normal minty toothpaste as an additional cleanse as often as you like. I personally did not replace my usual toothpaste with this one as I found that I didn't really get a fully clean feel after using this on its own. The taste did put me off using it a bit, so I never looked forward to using it and at times had to force myself to use it for the purpose of this review (not something you'd want to force yourself to do when tryng to look after your teeth).

I used this toothpaste for around 2 weeks and it claims to show results after the first use, and I must say that it did not work for me. I have been sceptical about this product to begin with as I've never found a teeth whitening toothpaste that worked for me. 

Honestly, I did not notice any difference in the shade of my teeth at all, I feel like it might work better on teeth with weaker enamel (Stronger enamel tend to be naturally more beige than white) but I know I won't be wasting any more money on drugstore products for teeth whitening. Hopefully, I will find a solution that won't cost me an arm and a leg haha, but if you have any recommendations then please let me know in the comments section down below :)

Update - I have tried two different types of whitening strips and one of the brands has worked well for me! You can find those strips here.

Have you tried any teeth whitening products that were really not worth the hype?

Lots of love,

Maya xo

2017 || MARCH FAVOURITES

Oh, well wasn't March an eventful month for me?! I have bought my own domain, updated my blog, did many collaborations with some amazing brands, went to a fashion show where I won the 'Best Dressed' award, got good grades from uni, and got rid of horrible people from my life! I can honestly say that March this year has made me stronger as a woman and I'm very grateful for all your support.

Moving on, March wasn't my best month for beauty favourites therefore I will say that the events mentioned above are a part of my monthly faves, but I did fall back in love with a couple of items I've had for a while.

First up, MAC's Paint Pot in the shade Painterly. I have previously reviewed this product here, but I started to reach for it more throughout the month to make my eyeshadow last longer. I really love the shade of this paint pot as it's very close to my natural skin tone so it makes it easy to blend any eyeshadow colour on my lid. I also have 3 more shades of these, would anyone like an updated MAC makeup collection? Please let me know!

The other product I've been loving this March is the glorious Juicy Couture Viva La Juicy Eau de Parfum - 100 ml. I wanted to get this perfume for so long, and one of my closest friends bought me a bottle for Christmas last year! I was so happy when I opened it up - you should have seen my face! It smells great, it's suitable for all ages (especially teens and young adults, and anyone who loves sweet scents!). And can we just sit back and appreciate the packaging? It's so bloody gorgeous that I think I'll keep the bottle on display after I use the product up!!

*This post isn't sponsored but may include affiliate links.

What have you been loving this March? Have you tried any of the products mentioned above?

Lots of love,

Maya xo

REVIEW || COLOURPOP PERSUEDE ME LIPPIE STIX COLLECTION

Ever since hearing about Colourpop I've been wanting to try out their products. I finally decided to make a big order back in October (I think) and bought a set of Lippie Stix along with other items and I must say that was one of the best decisions I ever made! Even though custom charges killed me after already spending around £50 on products D: - but when I think about MAC I usually spend the same amount on 2-3 things.

I don't really like the packaging that much. I mean, it is nice but nothing exceptional; it kind of looks like a jumbo eye crayon by NYX, but then again this is a drugstore product retailing at only $6 so the packaging isn't the post important.

They have a variety of lovely shades to choose from but because I chose a pre-packed set I was 'stuck' with all nudes. I'm not complaining though - they are lovely! My favourite shade has to be 'Le Freak'.

The consistency is very creamy and easy to apply, the lipstick literally glides on nicely and stay put all day. I do have to touch up after eating/drinking and it builds up quite easily so it's best to apply a thin layer with a lip brush to avoid it gathering.

Overall, I would rate these a solid 9/10 as the formula and price are amazing but the main issue for those who live outside the US is the VAT and custom fees :(

Have you tried any of the Colourpop products before? If so, which ones?

Lots of love,

Maya xo

WHAT'S HOT THIS SPRING/SUMMER - #NOTTMFW PRESS EVENT

Last month I attended a press event hosted by Gemini Marketing in Nottingham which was a cheeky preview of what's hot in SS17 before the fashion show in Nottingham on the 25th March.

I was greeted with the most beautiful glitter bomb cocktail, oh my, I was in heaven. There was also lots of tasty snacks varying from cupcakes to MOD pizza (my new favourite pizza place). The staff at the Beauty Temple were very lovely and welcoming, and I got complimented on my outfit and makeup (yes, get in haha!!).

The mini show was presented by two lovely ladies (forgive me for forgetting their names) who looked amazing in their outfits! I actually bought the same top one of them was wearing - thanks for the inspo! The two models - Jamie and Ryan rocked the SS17 looks.

*the micro bag is my new favourite statement piece - but will our huge phones even fit in?!

So, what are the hot trends for this year? I'm so excited that it is officially Spring so I can use it as an excuse to buy loads more clothes hehe...

Back to the Fuchsia - definitely one of my favourite trends as I love bright pink colours - I know for a fact that my mum is gona go crazy over this trend and wear pink head to toe as she owes so many gorgeous fuchsia pieces!

Born in the 80's - say yes to Madonna Rock 'n' Roll leather trousers and cowboy boots! This S/S is all about shoulder pads, ruffles and neon - yes, yes, YES!!

Statement Sportswear - probably the most comfy of all of the trends! I'm looking forward to styling
up plain joggers with some fishnets tights and cropped jumpers.

Twisted Tailoring - who doesn't love a funky detail to their outfits? Like one of those 'half and half' jumpers you can buy in Topshop. If you don't want to splurge on a new outfit but make it look very trendy then put on an old checked shirt (Gingham is very in atm) and pin it up wonky - this was our biggest nightmare a few years back but it's now turned into a trend!

Check-Mate - like I mentioned above, gingham is very much in and I couldn't be happier. I saw a gorgeous checked dress in Primark and I wish I bought it! Now I'm gona have to go back and try it on to see if I can pull it off haha!!

Spring-Bling - if you're very much into sequins and sparkles then this is perfect for you. I love glitter, I would bathe myself in it if I could so this is a great opportunity to add some bling into your wardrobe.

We were all spoilt by the organisers of the event (thank you so much Gemini!). In my goodie bag I received a bottle of Orangina with a cute paper straw, a free pizza voucher from MOD pizza (yum yum, a full restaurant review will be up soon!), some perfume samples, a front row seat ticket to the Nottingham Fashion Show, a magazine and some other bits and bobs!

I'm very excited for the fashion show, I will take many snapchats and insta stories so be sure to follow me on those: @missmayasx 

Lots of love,

Maya xo