Maiyabellexo

It's taken months of patience but I finally managed to get my hands on this bad boy when it came back in stock a couple weeks ago. I'm already a massive cleansing balm addict so as soon as I heard poofie.peej give this her seal of approval on Instagram, I knew it had to be mine. I've only been using it for a little while but I can already confirm it's one of my top 5 cleansers of all time!

The cleanser costs £13.95 for 90g which I think is a great price as most cleansing balms, especially ones of this quality, usually cost a lot more. It comes in a plastic tub which is super compact and easy for travel.

I can't quite decide what I like more about this cleanser, the smell or the texture. When I open the tub I am instantly reminded of opening a Terry's Chocolate Orange packet on Christmas Day. It's almost orgasmic! For some reason I imagined the cleanser to be quite hard but it's actually really soft. Think along the lines of Emma Hardie and Sarah Chapman.

The cleanser is made up of 100% organic, natural, cold-pressed ingredients including Jojoba Seed Oil, Safflower Seed Oil, Cocoa Seed Butter and Orange Peel Oil. It instantly melts with skin contact and turns into a gorgeous smooth oil which works really well to unclog pores, remove dirt and rebalance the skin. An important thing to bear in mind with this balm is that it does not emulsify so a hot flannel/face cloth is needed to remove it properly. It leaves a light layer of moisture on the skin which feels very nourishing and comforting but not in a greasy way. Personally I would only use this as a second cleanse as it's a bit too rich for me in the morning but if you have dry or dehydrated skin, you could definitely use this as your morning cleanse to help soothe and soften.

This balm is all kinds of lush-ness and I would highly recommend trying it if you're looking for something that's affordable, natural and most importantly, effective. Unfortunately it tends to sell out extremely fast as it's made in small batches so make sure you follow them on Instagram to be alerted straight away!

Buy it here!

Thank you so much for reading!

Maiya

Sunday, May 28, 2017

Dames & Dimes Chocolate Orange Cleansing Balm Review

Buy it here!

Thank you so much for reading!

Maiya

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If you're a bit of a 'takes everything but the kitchen sink' kinda' person like me, you'll know it can be really hard to streamline your travel bag and still feel like you have everything you need. I recently went on holiday to Cyprus and although I still took way more than I actually needed, I'm quite pleased with how much I managed to narrow down my selection.

Garnier Micellar Cleansing Water
To stop myself from bringing 101 cleansers I decided to take a micellar water to use as my makeup remover.

Liz Earle Cleanse & Polish - Sweet Orange and Clove
When I travel my skin can be a bit temperamental but I can always count on this to keep my skin clean and balanced.

Pixi Glow Tonic
An exfoliating toner is a must in my skincare routine so I couldn't go away for 3 weeks without taking this bad boy.

The Body Shop Vitamin E Spritz
I needed a hydrating toner to use after the acid and also in case my skin suddenly reacted. It's also great on sunburn!

Indeed Laboratories Eysilix
My eyes get very dry and sore when I travel so eye cream is very important. This moisturises my eye area without making it puffy.

Superdrug Simply Pure Hydrating Serum
Because I took an exfoliating toner I wanted my serum to be more moisturising. This hydrates my skin like nothing else and it's only £2.69!

Indeed Laboratories Fillume Volumising Moisturiser
I wanted a moisturiser that worked with all of my other products so of course I had to take this. It's hydrating, calming and fragrance free.

The Body Shop Skin Defense Multi Protection Essence SPF50
Even though this is factor 50 it feels incredibly lightweight and hasn't broken me out once.

Nuxe Reve De Miel Lip Balm
This is pretty self explanatory.

Estee Lauder Nightwear Plus 3 Minute Detox Mask
I think you should always take some kind of face mask with you when you travel and I went for this detoxifying mask as I knew my skin would probably get a bit clogged and congested.

Happy Place Cosmetics Chocolate Brownie Face Scrub
This is a life saver for buffing away dry patches and uneven texture.

Are you going anywhere nice soon? What products will you be taking with you?

Thank you so much for reading!

Maiya

Thursday, May 25, 2017

What's In My Travel Skincare Bag

Are you going anywhere nice soon? What products will you be taking with you?

Thank you so much for reading!

Maiya

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My blush collection has slowly been reduced over the past few weeks and I now have a small, select group of products that I know work well for me. The main one I've been using recently is the Marc Jacobs Air Blush which I picked up from John Lewis back in January. It's become a firm favourite in my routine and I'm so excited to finally share my full review with you!

All of the blushes retail at £28 and you get a whopping 8g of product. I think that's an amazing price when you consider the quality, size and brand name. The blush comes in a gorgeous black compact with a button clasp and a really big mirror. It's definitely the most luxurious single blush I own. I purchased mine in the shade Kink & Kisses which is a gorgeous peachy-pink rose with a slight sheen. (It's not as bright as it looks in the pictures!) Out of all the shades I would say this is the most universal option.

The blush has a lovely buildable formula which makes it really easy to get a subtle or more intense finish, depending on what you prefer. It's not chalky or powdery in any way and it blends like an absolute dream. I've worn it for a good 8 hours and it continued to look smooth and pigmented all day long.

I love using the Real Techniques Blush Brush to apply it but you could use any brush and still get a beautiful result. The stripe pattern gives you the option to pick between the light and darker shade but most of the time I'll just swirl them together. There's no glitter or sparkle, just a gorgeous sheen that makes you look like you're glowing from within. I can't recommend it enough!

What are your favourite picks from the Marc Jacobs range? I'd love to know!

Thank you so much for reading!

Maiya

Saturday, May 20, 2017

Marc Jacobs Air Blush Soft Glow Duo Review

What are your favourite picks from the Marc Jacobs range? I'd love to know!

Thank you so much for reading!

Maiya

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We all have those enablers who know just what to say to make us feel as though we need a certain product in our life. Whilst I've been trying to be more selective with my recent purchases, I still have those moments where I can't resist the hype any longer. Today I thought I'd cover makeup but if you'd like to see a skincare edition please let me know!

Hourglass Ambient Lighting Edit Surreal Light - £69
I don't think there's a beauty blogger out there who didn't go crazy for this palette. This was my first Hourglass product and I can happily report that it did not disappoint. All of the shades have a beautiful sheen/shimmer and offer a gorgeous glowy finish. The powders are so pigmented that a little goes a long way so I personally don't mind that the pans are fairly small. Admittedly I don't use it as much as I should but none the less I love having it in my collection and being able to pull it out for special occasions or just when I want to gaze at it's beauty.

Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk Foundation - £40
This is one of those foundations that I know I can always turn to if my skin is playing up. It has a gorgeous medium-buildable coverage which looks flawless no matter how you apply it. As the name would suggest the finish is luminous and healthy but definitely not oily. It's not the most long-wearing foundation (for that I would try their new Power Fabric Foundation), but I don't mind as I only tend to wear makeup for 6/7 hours. If you're looking to try a high end foundation I would highly recommend this one!

MAC Brave Lipstick - £16.50
Along with Velvet Teddy and Whirl, Brave recently made a come back and everyone seemed to be wearing it. Most of my lipsticks are darker and more brown toned so having this pinky-beige nude in my collection is really refreshing. It's really pigmented but has a satin finish which gives it a softer, more girly vibe. I love pairing it with tinted moisturiser, a bit of brow gel and some liquid highlighter for an effortless 'no makeup' makeup look.

Clinique Foundation Buff Brush - £28
Last year I saw Anna rave about this brush so much that I decided it had to be mine. Most of the time I'll use a damp sponge to apply my foundation but when I feel like using a brush this is what I'll reach for. It gives me natural, flawless skin every time. What more could you ask for?

MAC Eyeshadow Pans - Soba & Saddle - £10
Can you tell I have a thing for The Anna Edit? I love Anna's style of messy chic so when she finally revealed what eyeshadows she was using to create her look I knew I had to buy them. Soba is a mid toned gold-brown with some gold flecks and Saddle is a warm, matte brown. I can't wait to start using them!

So there you have the products that bloggers made me buy. What are yours?

Thank you so much for reading!

Maiya

Tuesday, May 16, 2017

Bloggers Made Me Buy It - The Makeup Edition

So there you have the products that bloggers made me buy. What are yours?

Thank you so much for reading!

Maiya

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I can't quite believe we're already a week into May. The last thing I remember I was shopping for holiday clothes and now I'm back in miserable London wrapped up in my dressing gown because it's that cold. Anyway, today I wanted to talk about all of the beauty products I was loving in April.

Marc Jacobs Velvet Noir Major Volume Mascara - Sample
If you're looking for super thick, voluminous lashes then this is the mascara for you. The brush is quite long and the bristles are really short which makes it so easy to get right into the roots of the lashes. One coat is all you need with this mascara but if you want to amp it up for night time you can definitely do two!

bareMinerals Invisible Light Translucent Powder Duo - £28
I absolutely love this duo. The matte powder is great at setting the face without looking heavy or obvious and the glow powder is perfect for adding a subtle sheen to the skin. Sometimes I'll mix the two together when I want a really natural finish. The size of the compact is great for travel and there's even a mirror which you can use for touch ups throughout the day.

The Body Shop Skin Defence Multi Protection Essence SPF50 - £16
I know some people have had issues with the scent and alcohol content in this product but I personally love it and will definitely repurchase it once it's finished. It has an extremely light texture which absorbs straight away unlike other high factor SPFs and offers both UVA and UVB protection.

Maybelline Color Sensational Lipstick - 630 Velvet Beige - £6.99
The formula of this lipstick is so smooth and creamy, I could apply it all day long. It's a super pretty pinky/brown shade which works for just about any occasion. Everyone needs this colour!

Happy Place Cosmetics Chocolate Brownie Lip Balm - £3
When I heard Kirstie was launching lip balms I was dying to get my hands on one. Naturally I went for the chocolate option whilst Hubby went for bubblegum. It has a gorgeous buttery texture which leaves the lips feeling super soft and hydrated.

E45 Derma Protect Fast Acting 24H Spray Moisturiser - £6
Even though my eczema is gone (touches wood), I still like to use E45 as it's the only thing that actually calms and soothes my irritation. I can't use traditional thick creams so this new spray version is an absolute dream.

Thank you so much for reading!

Maiya