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 2 - A GUIDE TO PICKING YOUR PERFECT CHRISTMAS CARDS

Like I've mentioned in my Blogmas Day 1 post, the theme I'm going for this Christmas is red and white/silver, so choosing Christmas cards wasn't a massive issue for me. As you can see in the pictures above, I picked out two hand-crafted designs from Card Factory which only cost me 99p each for 10 beautiful cards in each box.
I picked out the cards with the red truck for obvious reasons - the cards are white with a bit of red and glitter, what else could I ask for?! However, the black ones are left over from last year and will be given to my friends who aren't exchanging gifts this year as I'd like for my cards to match my wrapping paper (yes, it is red and white...).

If you don't have a theme and would like to choose something more personalised then I suggest looking at Etsy shops. You could also support your local charities by buying your Christmas cards from them as the money collected will be donated to people in need, such as Cancer Research UK.

What Christmas cards will you be buying 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

REVIEW || INDEED LABS Q10 BOOSTER & EYSILIX 2 TOTAL EYE RESCUER - SKINCARE ITEMS TO START USING IN YOUR 20'S

Now that my 22nd birthday is just around the corner I've been feeling the need to step up my skincare game and start using anti-ageing products. By that, I am not saying that you should start using anti-ageing skincare, all I'm trying to say is that I started to notice lines under my eyes and darker circles under them so I thought now is the time to finally start using products to aid my ageing process in the most natural and graceful way.

I was recently gifted some Indeed Laboratories products by the lovely Maddy from Bux & Bewl including the Q10 Booster and the Eysilix 2 Total Eye Rescuer and I couldn't wait to try them.
Both products are designed for fine lines and wrinkles - whether that's on your face or crow's feet, there's something available for everyone.

The Q10 Booster also helps to defend against free-radicals, is paraben, colourant and fragrance-free and on top of that feels amazing on my skin. The booster is said to be used twice a day (morning and night), either on its own or mixed with a serum, moistures or foundation - I prefer to use it on its own before moisturising, however, it also works amazingly applied onto a beauty sponge before blending foundation. I have noticed an instant glow to my skin and been trying to use this product as instructions say (twice daily), and have also seen a difference in how my skin feels and looks. The Vitamin E and Vitamin C which slow down the ageing process and are antioxidants that get rid oxidant chemicals that are caused by literally everything.

The Eysilix 2 is a 'total eye rescue cream formulated with peptides, ceramides, extracts and probiotics to help instantly smooth wrinkles and reduce the appearance of dark circles and puffiness around the eyes'. Sounds like a dream, right? Well, it sort of is... just like the Q10 booster, this eye cream is free of parabens, colourants and fragrance, and feels amazing on the skin. It's very light-weight and absorbs really quickly so it doesn't mean that you'll have to get up early in the morning just to fit in a new skincare routine as this one only takes a couple of minutes! I do find that this fills up the lines around my eyes nicely and allows my makeup to sit on top of my skin without sinking - I did tell you it was a dreamy product!

These two are honestly some of my new favourite skincare products and I would highly recommend them to all who are wanting to start an anti-ageing skincare routine as these are suitable for all skin types - even sensitive so you can't really go wrong with them now, can you?!

You can purchase the Q10 Booster here, and the Eysilix 2 here.

Lots of love,

Maya xo

REVIEW || POUR MOI? LINGERIE SET FROM UK LINGERIE - BEST LINGERIE FOR CURVY WOMEN

Can we please have a moment of silence for all those women looking for the perfect pretty bra in their actual size that won't break their bank? Thank you. I am in fact one of those poor buggers and can never find my size in high street stores and quite frankly I am fed up with spending around £40 on a bra that will scratch my sides and poke me in the boob as the wire comes out.

So you can only imagine how excited I was when I received an email from UK Lingerie asking to try some of their products. Of course, I had to go for a full set because why the heck not?! I picked a gorgeous balconette bra, knickers and suspender belt. I have a hate-love relationship with balconette bras. They look amazing on, but the majority of the time they dig into my sides or squish my boobs, or even separate them making me look like I'm not wearing anything!

You can buy the set here:

Bra           Knickers        Suspenders

Even though the bra does not have super thick padding, it does provide really good support and natural lift to the breasts. The matching knickers are very comfy and come slightly high waisted which I find very flattering on my figure. I usually wear lacy underwear as I find it most comfortable, but this style of pants is actually so comfy and looks amazing on - I will happily order 10 more pairs of the same style! Now, the suspender belt is beautiful and looks great on, it cinches the waist really nicely but doesn't make it hard for me to breathe which is the most important thing. I don't wear it very often unless I'm wearing a see-through shirt as it looks really lovely 'secretly on show'.

I would highly recommend looking into some sets on UK Lingerie as they have a great variety of brands and cater for many sizes starting from 30A up to 48J so there's something for everyone. The set that I have is the Pour Moi? set and it reminds me a lot of the Agent Provocateur lingerie but at a much better price, of course.

Do you also find it difficult to find your bra size in high street stores?

Lots of love,

Maya xo