winter lovin'

Hey beautiful girls!

Hope you're having a lovely Christmas season!  I'm so excited for the holidays, and for the fact that I'll be free from school in a few days.  Ahhh it's such a relief!  Anyways, today I'm back with one of my favourite kinds of posts to do on my blog :) Another addition to my lovin' series!  You guys seem to really like these posts too, so here are a few of the wintery things I've been loving lately! 

TUNES

I've been really into Tom Odell, Bon Iver, and Hozier for the past few weeks...
but I've been loving all kinds of calm, alternative music really.

READS

Girl Online and Girl Online On Tour by Zoe Sugg (i.e. MY FAV) were super cute,
easy reads which is exactly what I've been needing lately.  So good.

EATS

I went out for lunch with one of my best friends recently and had the loveliest
pizza ever.  It was authentic Italian pizza and also possibly the best thing I've ever eaten. yum!

WORDS

Let yourself be flawed ♥

~ ~ ~

Thanks for reading :) Maybe comment some of your wintery loves down below?  I'd really love to hear about them!

xoxo

Maiya

winter playlist

Hello friends!

Spotting me without my headphones is a rare occurrence these days...I've been constantly listening to music and in particular, this playlist I created.  If you're into very calm, alternative music you will absolutely love this.  (check it out on spotify here)

Holocene (Bon Iver)

Heartbeats (Jose Gonzalez)

C'est La Mort (The Civil Wars)

We Don't Eat (James Vincent McMorrow)

Sense (Tom Odell)

Like Real People Do (Hozier)

Like the River - Acoustic (James Vincent McMorrow)

Dawning On Me (Villagers)

Let It Go (James Bay)

Heal (Tom Odell)

Skinny Love (Birdy)

Someone New (Hozier)

Higher Love (James Vincent McMorrow)

Darling Arithmetic (Villagers)

Shelter (Birdy)

The Girl Running (Passenger feat. Jess Chalker)

Cherry Wine (Hozier)

~

comment down below some of your favourite songs, I'd love to listen to them :)

xoxoxo

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

back to school // outfit inspiration

Hello :)

School starts for me next Wednesday and I'm actually so excited!  I put together 4 outfits but I can't decide which to wear for the first day...so I thought I'd post them on here!  Maybe you guys can comment down below and tell me which one is your favourite :)

OUTFIT 1:

sweater: thrifted

belt: thrifted

denim skirt: forever 21

OUTFIT 2:

plaid dress: forever 21

OUTFIT 3:

halter top: brandy melville

denim skirt: bluenotes

OUTFIT 4:

plaid top: urban behaviour

burgundy jeans: garage

Let me know which is your favourite!  Also, leave some questions down below for my upcoming Q&A!

Maiya

meet my guinea pig // pippa

Hello :)

I'm so excited to introduce my baby guinea pig, Pippa!  She is such a little darling...I love her so very much!  You'll probably be seeing a lot more of her in my upcoming posts!  Isn't she the cutest thing!? 

WilaanaPetCraft was kind enough to send her a lovely little tent!  It's hand made and was soooo easy to assemble.  All you need to do is insert the wooden rods, tie them together with the little twine rope, and you're done!  It probably took me 1 minute :) 

These tents come in many different sizes, depending on the size/breed of your pet.  The shipping was so quick as well and only took a few days to arrive.  Click here to purchase the polka dot tent or here to check out all of the other tents that WilaanaPetCraft sells.

Once I put her in the tent, she wouldn't come out!  I wanted to take pictures of her outside the tent but she just kept running back in...which was frustrating for me, but at least she loves her tent! ;) And ahh she's so tiny!  I'm in love <3

Isn't she just adorable?  And the tent is so lovely...it's a perfect little hideout for her and she loves it!

 Make sure to check out WilaanaPetCraft and all their adorable tents!

Also, leave me some questions down below for my upcoming Q&A :)

Maiya

lovin'

Hello lovelies :)

Hope you are enjoying what's left of the Summer!  I can't believe it's nearly over...I'm not ready to go back to school yet.  Today I just wanted to share a little list of sorts, filled with the things I've been loving lately.

TUNES

This Summer I've been really into The Beatles and The Beach Boys.  Some oldies but goodies for sure!   

READS

Let's Get Lost by Adi Alsaid was my absolute favourite read this Summer.  If you loved Paper Towns, this will be your new favourite book.  I promise.  And the front cover is super cute too, so that makes things even better ;)

EATS

Iced Caramel Macchiatos are the new love of my life.  Basically the main reason I don't want Summer to end is that it'll be too cold for me to drink iced coffee...is that sad?

WORDS

"Dance like nobody's watching (Because everyone is on their phones.  So no one is watching.)"

Thanks for reading :)  Oh and mind commenting some questions down below?  I'm planning on doing a Q&A pretty soon!

-Maiya

offline is the new luxury

WEARS

vintage jeans - thrifted

crocheted halter top - brandy melville

shoes - thrifted

backpack - roots

I'm absolutely loving these pants that I thrifted a few days ago. They're SO high waisted and kinda crazy, but I'm obsessed with them!

Photography credits to my lovely friend Tess  <3  We went adventuring around my house yesterday and had so much fun discovering cute little places to take pictures of each other.  Prepare yourselves for more pictures on this swing set that we found...it's so cute!

summer makeup look + giveaway

Hello!

Today I thought I'd share with you a makeup look I can't stop wearing this Summer.  It's very long lasting and great for hot days in the sunshine :)  (stay tuned til the end for an exciting giveaway with Parlo Cosmetics!)

Products used for this look:

+ BARE REPUBLIC natural mineral tinted moisturizer (SPF 30)
+ Rimmel match perfection concealer
+ Parlo Cosmetics natural mineral foundation
+ Parlo Cosmetics natural mineral blush (in the shade "jolene")
+ Anastasia brow wiz 
+ Swissco eyelash curler
+ Maybelline colossal volume express mascara  
+ Parlo Cosmetics natural mineral eye shadow (in the shades "big talk", "safari", and "shimmy shimmy")
+ Coolway beachy salt spray
+ Parlo Cosmetics tinted natural lip balm (in the shade "coral me happy)

Step 1-

Apply your favorite tinted moisturizer or BB cream all over your face.  Make sure it has SPF to protect your skin from the Summer sun!  I like to blend it in using a damp makeup sponge but using your fingers or a brush would work as well.

Step 2-

I buffed this mineral powder foundation in all over my face to add extra coverage and keep the tinted moisturizer in place all day.  Using a powder or powder foundation will really extend the wear of your makeup and keep it from melting off your face in the heat!

Step 3-

Apply your favorite blush to the apples of your cheeks and blend out along your cheekbone.  I used a rosy pink blush ("jolene" by parlo cosmetics) because it has a gorgeous sheen to it which will make you look very glowy and luminous for the summer (which is very on trend right now in the makeup world!).

Step 4-

Apply a highlight to the tops of your cheekbones (above the blush), and down the bridge of your nose.  I actually used an eye shadow ("shimmy shimmy" by parlo cosmetics) as my highlighter for this look!

Step 5-

Lightly fill in your brows to define them, but still keep them nice and natural :)

Step 6- (eye shadow)

- I applied "big talk" all over the lid and blended it out into the crease.

- Next I took a highlight shade ("shimmy shimmy") and applied it to the inner corner and brow bone (under the tail end of your eyebrow)

- Lastly, I took the darkest shade and popped it on the outer third of my eyelid then blended it out into the crease. I also applied it all along the lower lash line.

Step 7-

Curl your eyelashes and apply your favorite mascara (waterproof is a great option for Summer)

Step 8-

Apply a tinted lip balm to add a pop of color to the look while keeping your lips moisturized all day!

Step 9-

Take a setting spray of your choice and mist it all over your face to keep your makeup in place and refreshed.

Step 10-

Spritz a sea salt spray in your hair and work it in with your fingers to give your hair some effortless volume and texture :)

- - - - - - - - - -

Hope you enjoyed this quick tutorial and that you try out this look sometime this Summer!

Also, make sure to enter my giveaway for a chance to win some makeup from Parlo Cosmetics!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Maiya

Born Pretty

Hello!

Today I'm bringing to you a VERY exciting and highly anticipated (by me at least...) review post ♥ I partnered with Born Pretty Store which is an absolutely amazing online store that sells almost anything you could ever want.  There's makeup, hair accessories, jewelry, clothes, stationary, nail art, phone cases, and sooo much more.  And the best part.....free worldwide shipping.  

I picked up 2wonderful items from the jewelry section and I'm absolutely in love.  I've been wearing all of these non stop lately and there are so many more items on this website that I can't wait to get my hands on :)

The first item I chose was this gorgeous geometric necklace (check it out here).  It is so unique and elegant but still very wearable for an everyday look.  I've really been enjoying tiered necklaces like this lately and also geometric necklaces so this one was something I couldn't pass up.  I absolutely love it and it was only $2.99!

I also picked up another necklace (check it out here).  This one is quite a bit longer than the last one but again, it's very wearable and a gorgeous necklace to go with almost any outfit.  This one was only $1.99!

I'm so excited to have discovered Born Pretty Store!  I was so pleased with all of my finds and I cannot wait to try out more of their products.  They seemed like really great quality to me which was a pleasant surprise considering how inexpensive they were.  Overall I definitely recommend checking this website out :) 

I have a 10% off coupon code (MMDT10) for you all if you decide to check out Born Pretty Store (using this code will help me out in bringing you guys more reviews of lovely products like these...) 

Have fun shopping! :)    

Maiya

easy diy cream blush

Hello everyone!

I'm absolutely loving Summer so far :) aren't you?  It's so nice not to have to worry about school and just relax.

A few days ago I was feeling in a crafty mood and decided to experiment with some diy makeup recipes.  I finally came out with a perfect combination and a gorgeous cream blush for the Summer time!  It's so easy and I'm sure you'll have everything you need to make it at home.

ingredients:

+ wax (make sure it's safe to use on your skin...like beeswax or soy wax)

+ any powder blush, eye shadow, loose pigment, or lipstick

+ natural oil  (I used coconut but jojoba, vegetable, or any other oil would be fine)

+ a little container (I used an empty powder blush container)

+ a heat source (I just melted everything in a metal spoon over a candle)

step 1 - measure out 1 tsp of wax, 1 tsp of oil, and 1 tsp of color (powder blush, lipstick etc)

step 2 - melt your wax and oil over the heat source

step 3 - mix in your color (if you're using powder, make sure it's very fine and that there are no lumps)

step 4 - pour your mixture into your container

step 5 - let it set for a few hours...and you're done!

I'm SOOOO happy with how this turned out.  It's very pigmented, beautiful, and works just as well as any cream blush you would buy!  If you want it to be even more long lasting you can set it with a powder blush, but it lasts fairly well on its own.  I also love how you can customize the shade of this product :) You could make so many different shades...the possibilities are endless!  You can also use this product as a lip balm if you want.  It's very moisturizing and adds a little pop of color to your lips.  Perfect for Summer!


I hope you enjoyed this tutorial! Have a wonderful day...love you ♥

Maiya

ipsy - June 2015

Hello!

Happy Summer!  I'm officially finished school so I should be posting more frequently for the next few months.  Yay!!!  To celebrate the end of the school year I decided to treat myself to an ipsy subscription.  In case you aren't familiar with it, ipsy is a monthly subscription service that sends you 4-5 sample sized beauty products.  It's only 10$ a month (or 15$ if you don't live in the US) which I think is an amazing price!

I just received my first bag a few days ago and thought I'd show you what's inside!

 

The first product in my bag was this OGX "Healing+Vitamin E Penetrating Oil"  (check it out here).  I've used this a few times so far and I absolutely LOVE it!  It claims to heal split ends and add moisture to your hair, and so far it has made my hair feel amazing and really helped with frizzyness :) I run this through towel dried hair after a shower and it works wonders.  Not to mention that this very big for a sample sized product!  I am so soooo happy with it.

The next product in my bag was a Too Faced "Melted Lipstick" in the shade "Melted Candy" (check it out here).  I was really happy to find this in my bag cause I already have 4 other melted lipstick shades and they're amazing ♥  This one is a hot pink color that is perfect for the Summer.

Above is "Melted Candy" and below is my entire melted lipstick collection

("Melted Berry", "Melted Fuchsia", "Melted Candy", "Melted Nude", Melted Peony") 

The next product in my bag was this Swissco Eyelash Curler (check it out here).  I love that it's purple and it works very well.  It feels like good quality and I was very pleased to see this in my bag :)

The next product in my bag was this treStique Mini Shadow Crayon in the shade "Marimoto Pink Pearl" (check it out here).  It is absolutely WONDERFUL.  I've worn this by itself and with eye shadow over top, and it didn't crease either time.  It is a great products and I will be using it all.the.time. ♥ This might just be my favorite product in the bag!

 The last product in my ipsy bag was this adorable coral nail polish!  It's from the brand Aurora and claims to be a "Gel Effect" polish with no UV needed...which I'm guessing means it gives you the same look as a gel polish without the hassle!  I haven't used this yet but it is a perfect Summer shade and I'm very excited about it :)

I was VERY happy with my ipsy and will definitely be continuing with my subscription.  Let me know if you'd like to see more ipsy posts in the future...maybe this could be a monthly thing! ♥

Maiya