+ peeks cosmetics +

Hello everyone!

Today I'm back with a VERY exciting post in collaboration with one of my new favourite makeup brands; Peeks Cosmetics!  They were kind enough to send me a tone of their gorgeous lip products to try out, and I thought I would share my opinions on them with you :)

Lip Blasters:

These are SUCH an incredible product. The best way I can describe them to you is that they are somewhere between an intensely pigmented gloss and a moisturizing liquid lipstick!
They go on fully opaque in one swipe and last on my lips for hours, even though they never dry down fully matte. They are also cruelty, gluten, and paraben free and have a delicious fresh mint flavour.  I can't say enough about this formula and the shade selection :) they are just absolutely gorgeous!

Down below are swatches of all the shades I was sent (right to left):

-tangerine (neon orange)
-sexy (soft pink)
-babe (fuchsia pink)
-popularity (neon pink)
-mystery (red)
-diva (burgundy)
-delicious (dark brown) - this one reminds me a lot of True Brown K by Kylie Cosmetics

Lip Gloss:

The next products they sent me were their lip glosses. These are enriched with vitamins A, C, and E so they keep your lips soft and hydrated. They are also cruelty, gluten, and paraben free (like all of their lip products). 

Some of these are sheer and some are more opaque, but all of them are very high shine and long lasting on the lips.

I am not typically a lip gloss girl, but these have totally changed my mind! They are not sticky at all, very comfortable on the lips, and SO beautiful.

Here are some swatches of the shades they sent me (right to left):

-fantasy (nude) - this one is my personal favourite!

-grown woman (rose pink)

-doll house (pink)

-control (orchid)

Lipstick:
Lastly, they sent me 6 of their lipsticks (5 matte, 1 satin).  When fully dried down these give the look of a liquid lipstick, without being drying at all.  They are enriched with vitamin E to keep your lips hydrated and comfortable while still having a gorgeous matte finish.  These have SUCH an incredible formula and I have been reaching for them almost every day!

Here are swatches of all the shades I was sent (right to left):

-love thang (soft pink)
-wineberry baby (deep violet)
-quick sand (light brown)
-bonjour (light grey)
-bare me (nude)
-chocolate cake (brown)

As you can probably tell, I am completely in love with each and every one of these products.  I would highly recommend checking out Peeks Cosmetics and if you do, let me know in the comments!

xoxo

Maiya

benefit holiday blush palette

Hello guys!

I've been waiting to post this for quite a while now...ever since i bought this I've been wanting to show you all!  I just wanted to wait a while so I'd have time to try it out and form a proper opinion first :) 

I picked up this Benefit "Real Cheeky Party" from their Holiday 2015 Collection and it is INCREDIBLE.  The set contains;

• they’re real! mascara deluxe sample | 0.36 g Net wt. 0.1 oz.
• they’re real! push-up liner deluxe sample | 3.0 g Net wt. 0.1 oz.
• dandelion medium | 4.0 g Net wt. 0.14 oz.
• watt’s up! small | 1.5 g Net wt. 0.05 oz.
• sugarbomb medium | 6.0 g Net wt. 0.21 oz.
• hoola medium | 5.0 g Net wt. 0.17 oz.
• CORALista medium | 5.0 g Net wt. 0.17 oz.
• rockateur medium | 5.0 g Net wt. 0.17 oz.

I've always wanted to try out the Benefit Boxed Blushes and Hoola Bronzer, but for $36 each...I could never quite justify the purchase.  So when I saw this set, I absolutely could not resist!  Because for just over the price of one Boxed Blush, you get to try out 5!!!! (as well as a mascara, eyeliner, and highlight!)

The set is sold at Sephora for $50 (and claims to be valued at $116), but I was able to grab mine at 20% off during the VIB Rouge sale event.  It was worth every penny :) Now here are my thoughts on the product!

 Personally, I love the packaging!  It reminds me of a watermelon and is so colourful and happy.  It's a very sturdy and well made metal tin which is much appreciated :)  The only part I don't love is that the actual products are held in a fairly flimsy cardboard insert...which can be slightly annoying.

As for the actual products inside (the most important part!), they are SUCH great quality.  I've been using almost nothing else on my cheeks since I bought this...I'm so in love!  My current favourite blush from the set is "sugarbomb", but every single one is beautiful!

They're all very long lasting, bendable, and very soft powders :)  I have no complaints and would definitely recommend picking up this set before it's sold out!

It would make such an adorable Christmas gift and I'm sure lots of girls out there would be all over this set, am I right ladies!? ;)

Hope you guys enjoyed this post :)  I have plenty more makeup posts planned, so let me know if you're interested in seeing them!  And maybe comment down below which of the products from this set you think would be your favourite.

Love you girls,

xoxo

Maiya

Spring Makeup Haul

Hello!

Lately I've been trying REALLY hard not to buy any more makeup.  Cause I honestly have wayyy too much already, and my savings are almost entirely gone.  But I just can't seem to help myself...so I decided to show you guys what I bought in the last couple of weeks :)

Let me know if you like haul posts down in the comments...cause I'll probably accidentally buy tons more makeup soon, lets be honest.  Oh!  I also have a very exciting post coming up later this month so stay tuned!

I picked up this Smashbox "Cherry Smoke" photo op eye shadow palette.  It's limited edition and has so many gorgeous shades, I couldn't resist!  The packaging is really sturdy and has a mirrored pattern on the top as well as a really big mirror inside.

My favorite shadows from the palette so far are the two on the left called bare and unadorned, as well as the top peachy shade called shell, and the bottom copper shade called oxidize. But I really do love them all :) This palette was a bit expensive, but worth every penny!

  

Here they are swatched in rows from right to left  ↑

The next thing I purchased was this "High Intensity Eye Shadow" duo from Hard Candy.  The duo is called Slow and Steady and these claim to have a unique hybrid texture, which is not a powder, nor a cream. It claims to have

• Intense color
• Silk hybrid texture
• Up to 24 hour lasting hold
• Water, crease, and fade resistant

I haven't tried these out enough times to be able to say whether these meet all of the claims, but I do have high hopes!  And the colors are absolutely beautiful, I'll probably be picking up a few more!

I picked up two Revlon "Super Lustrous Lipsticks" in the shades 668 Primrose (above ↑), and 660 Berry Haute (below ↓).  These weren't as pigmented as I expected but they do have a really nice formula.  They're very moisturizing and leave a gorgeous, glossy wash of color on the lips.

I've had my eye on this Rimmel "Lasting Finish" lipstick in the shade 070 Airy Fairy.  It is the absolute most perfect nude lipstick and I love it so much.  I do wish it was a bit more long lasting, but overall I do love it and I'm so glad I picked it up.

I'd also been wanting this Rimmel "Full Color Lip Liner" in 063 Eastend Snob for quite some time.  I LOVE this color on its own or as a liner.  It's just so gorgeous.

Next I picked up this Rimmel "Apocalips Lip Lacquer" in 101 Celestial. This is such a creamy gloss in the most gorgeous dust rose color.  

Swatches from top to bottom:

• Airy Fairy
• Eastend Snob
• Celestial
• Berry Haute
• Primrose

I was needing a new under eye concealer so I picked up this Rimmel "Match Perfection 2 in 1 concealer & highlighter" (I'm in the shade 125 fair in case you were wondering). I absolutely love the formula, it's amazing.  This is probably my new favorite concealer!

Next I picked up this set of 3 eyeshadow palettes from the brand "Mariposa" (which I hadn't heard of before).  These weren't very expensive and I wasn't expecting great quality at all, but I was very pleasantly surprised!  These were really pigmented and smooth shadow, and I loved the shades in all of the palettes.

Let me know if you'd like to see a makeup collection post...cause I'd love to make one :)

Maiya

Natural Eyes Eyeshadow Palette - splurge or save?

Hello!

During Spring Break this year, I went on a bit of a road trip with my mom.  We drove up the Island to my Aunt and Uncles house to visit with them and my cousins for a few days.  It was such a great time...I miss them already ♥  Anyway, during the drive and while I was there, I read blog posts and watched YouTube videos about makeup (typical...).  And after having my eyes on it for ages, I decided that I REALLY wanted to buy the Too Faced Natural Eyes eyeshadow palette.  It has so many beautiful and wearable shades, but sadly it comes with quite the price tag...45$.  

Now being thrifty and pretty much broke (I buy WAY too much makeup), I decided that I probably shouldn't buy the palette after all.  So I went back to browsing the internet for hours, eventually stumbling upon pictures of the new Hard Candy Natural Eyes Eyeshadow Palette.  And guys, it's pretty much an EXACT dupe for the Too Faced one!!!  They even share the same name ☺ But this one has a much friendlier price tag...8$.  The Hard Candy brand is only sold at Walmart so on the trip back home, my mom and I stopped at every single Walmart we passed in hopes of finding this gorgeous palette.  It was sold out almost everywhere but finally, at maybe the 5th store, I was able to grab the very last one they had in stock ☺ 

I was very pleasantly surprised to see that even though this is a drugstore palette, it had a metal case (very similar to the Too Faced packaging)!  It closes magnetically and is a super cute muted gold color. It also had a nice sized mirror and a little booklet with some little tips and looks to re-create. 

The shadows are pretty much exactly the same as those in the Too Faced palette, and they`re also set up in trios.  I was pleasantly surprised with how pigmented and creamy some of these were.  The swatches below are from just one swipe of the shadows but you can build up the color by applying more.

I wasn't much of a fan of the primer honestly.  It didn't prevent my eyeshadow from creasing which is a big part of its job.  I much prefer the Maybelline Color Tatoos or the Geo Girl cream eyeshadow if you are looking for an inexpensive primer.  But I did quite like the eyeliner.  It`s very opaque and blends really well for a smokey eye. (primer and eyeliner swatches ↓ )

I don`t actually own the Too Faced palette, so I can`t do side by side swatches or comparisons. But I did find a video to show how similar they really are if you`re interested..  

       

I hope you enjoyed this post and that it helped you out if you were looking for an inexpensive neutral palette, or were eyeing the Two Faced Natural Eyes Palette like I was.


hugs

Maiya

~ Spring Lip Balms ~

♥ Hello ♥
I'm so relieved that Spring break has arrived! Finally I have some time to relax, blog, read, and craft :) Today I'm doing a review on some lip products sent to me by an Etsy shop called "Live Beautifully Body".  I've got an exciting DIY planned, and hopefully some Spring fashion posts as well...I hope you are all doing well :)

LIVE BEAUTIFULLY BODY

This lovely shop sent me a set of 3 lip balms called the "fruit smoothie lip balm set", a butterscotch vanilla whipped lip butter, and a lavender lemoncake lip balm jelly :)

The lip balm set comes with 3 hydrating lip balms in the flavors; juicy peach & pear, triple berry burst, and strawberry orange. They're so refreshing and taste delicious on the lips.  And the flavor reminds me of fruity candy ♥ These are definitely a favorite and will be an essential for me in the Spring and Summer time!

↓ ↓ ↓

fruit smoothie lip balm set

The butterscotch vanilla whipped lip butter is pretty much whipping cream for your lips. It feels soooo smooth and creamy when you apply it and keeps your lips feeling moisturized and soft. So yummy! ♥

butterscotch vanilla whipped lip butter (← here's a link to where you can buy it if you want ☺)

The lavender lemoncake lip balm jelly is sort of like a lip gloss....but it's got a thicker, gel-like texture! It tastes amazing and is super refreshing. It leaves a gorgeous gloss on your lips and goes really nicely with a minimal or no makeup kind of a day :)

lavender lemoncake lip balm jelly ☺

 

hugs

 

~Maiya~

delightful little things ♥

Hello again :)

I wanted to share with you guys a few products that were sent to me that I've been loving lately ~ some delightful Etsy shops were kind enough to send me their products to try out so I will be reviewing them over the next while!

~ ~ ~

DELIGHT NATURALS

This shop sent me 6 lip balms and a "sugar cube" sugar scrub set. The lip balms are very hydrating and keep my lips moisturized for a long time. On top of that the packaging is adorable and each of these lip balms smell/taste exactly like their flavor when they're on your lips. (I've linked to where you can buy each of these right down there ↓ )

raspberry lip balm

chai tea lip balm

strawberry lip balm

coconut lip balm

sweet orange lip balm

pumpkin pie lip balm

The "sugar cubes" that were sent to me come in a set of four (I used one up and the other one is half gone and in my shower looking a bit....squished if you were wondering why there's only two in the picture) and mine are in the scent, lemonade. And let me just say that these might be my favorite thing EVER. They are SOOOO much more convenient then a loose sugar scrub and smell absolutely incredible. Not to mention that they leave your skin feeling refreshed and super soft :) My favorite way to use them is to shave first, then apply the sugar scrub and rinse it off and then shave again. Seriously guys, they're amazing ♥

"sugar cubes" sugar scrub in lemonade (ie the love of my life!!!)

Oh! I just got an Instagram account a few weeks ago soooo here's the link to my page; http://instagram.com/maiyalauren
Hope you are having a great day, you're amazing and so beautiful ♥ :)

hugs

~Maiya~

Vintage Earrings - Review

Hello!

Today I'm reviewing a gorgeous pair of vintage earrings that I received from an Etsy shop called FreddoccinePhoto :)

These earrings are so interesting and pretty :)  They're not something I would normally gravitate towards but once I tried them on, I was absolutely in love!  They are so stunning and definitely have that vintage-y vibe, which I love.  The only downside to these earrings is that they are a bit heavy, so if you aren't used to big earrings (like me), then they will take a bit of getting used to.  But overall I absolutely love them!  Make sure to stop by the FreddoccinePhoto Etsy shop and check out they're other jewelry :)

hugs

~Maiya~

(oh and by the way, if you were expecting to see the giveaway winner post today, I ended up posting it yesterday!  So just check out my last post ☺)

Good4you Etsy Shop : Product Review

Hello and happy Fall!

Today I'm partnering with an amazing Etsy shop called good4you!  Good4you sells all natural plant based makeup products ranging from lip balms to skin care products to foundation!  The shop owner Jess sent me a few of her lovely products to try out and review for you guys (thank you so much Jess!).....so here's my opinion!  (100% my own honest opinion)

The packaging the products were sent in was ADORABLE and she even included some little neon heart stickers which were tucked into the twine!  So cute!

rose body shimmer : This is a shimmery, slightly pink toned product in loose powder form.  The container it comes in has a little sifter built in which is really nice and keeps the product from getting messy.  I personally don't wear body shimmer but I LOVED how this looked as a highlight!  It's very subtle and perfect for anyone just starting out with makeup or anyone looking for a nice, natural look :)

ocean sky eye shadow : This is also a very subtle and natural looking product.  It's a beautiful sky blue color and comes in the same cute and functional packaging as the body shimmer.  I would say that this is a perfect eye shadow for beginners with makeup because it's so light and subtle.  There's really no making mistakes with this which is great!  Just swipe it all over the lid, or use other colors as well (even the body shimmer could work as an eye shadow!) and you're good to go :)

beet root tint balm : Okay, I am absolutely in LOVE with this product!  It gives a sheer, but definitely noticeable tint to the lips which I adore and I think it's a perfect color for the Fall!  It can also be used as a cheek tint I believe, but I haven't tried that yet.  This feels so hydrating and soothing on the lips and since it's fairly sheer, it's low maintenance and doesn't require touch ups!  It also tastes/smells like CHOCOLATE AND COCONUT....need I say more?  This is probably my favorite product that I received  :)

beach rose lip tint :  This lip tint is also lovely!  It's a gorgeous sheer coral color that I absolutely love :)  And the packaging of these lip tints is so cute!  The metal tins are so adorable and I love the clear lid of this rose one!  The ingredients of all these 4 products are listed on the cute little paper label wrapped around the containers :)

I hope you guys enjoyed this post!  Make sure to go check out good4you on Etsy :)

Also, I've got more free 5$ Etsy giftcards for any of you who would like one! Just click this link to get your free 5$ card (only if you've never purchased anything on Etsy before).  Maybe you could pick something up from good4you!  Also don't forget to enter my writing contest if you haven't already!

hugs

~Maiya~