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From her ride-or-die eyeliner to her favourite portable speaker, these are the presenter’s must-haves
If you listen to the radio, watch TV or use Instagram, chances are you’ve heard of Maya Jama. The presenter, DJ and beauty-brand owner is a woman of many talents, originally launching her media career as an actor before landing gigs on high-profile shows and red carpet events thanks to her infectious personality.
She began her radio work at Rinse FM before joining BBC Radio 1 in 2018, co-presenting the Greatest Hits show with Scott Mills and Chris Stark before landing her own eponymous show. Maya then left the station in order to commit fully to her TV presenting career, which has spanned hit shows including ITV’s Cannonball, Channel 4’s The Circle and BBC One’s Peter Crouch: Save our Summer. Simon Cowell has even bagged the star for his latest music gameshow, Walk The Line.
Maya has used her celebrity status to champion social issues including mental health awareness and domestic abuse. She’s an ambassador for Savera UK, a charity that provides support for survivors of honour-based violence, and has fronted a campaign with The Felix Project, the largest food distribution charity in London, to tackle food poverty.
The star has garnered a loyal fan base on social media (who she admirably calls her huns) thanks to her candid posts, which cover everything from sing-a-longs with her Uber driver to opening up about why she’s chosen to stop using Instagram filters. Her beauty brand, MIJ, was born out of her love for effective, on-the-go skincare. Launching in 2020, the initial drop sold out in just 24 hours, and the range has since expanded, with even more products in the works.
Whether you love Maya for her presenting work or skincare line, who doesn’t want the inside scoop on a celebrity’s favourite products? Here at IndyBest, we’re obsessed with all things shopping, so we got nosy and asked the star to share her ride-or-die must-haves, covering everything from her make-up bag to her workout essentials.
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It’s got to be my JBL xtreme 2 portable speaker. I can’t live without music in the house – I have it on in the background throughout the day. I also love how easy it is to shop on Amazon; one click and it’s at your door within hours.
My Grind coffee machine! It’s an essential for those early mornings and I find it sets me up for the day. I’m also a big fan of the sleek, minimal design which suits my kitchen setup. Since I bought my first place I’ve loved doing up different areas in the house – I don’t cook much but love spending time in the kitchen.
It has to be the KVD Beauty tattoo liner in trooper black. It’s super precise and lasts all day on my eyes – I do have a lot of help from my glam team, but it’s perfect for when I’m on the go and sees me through from day to night with zero smudging. It’s so easy to create a flick, which I always struggled with before.
Definitely medicine balls! They’re my favourite piece of gym equipment to use, as they allow you to really mix up your sessions and train a variety of muscles when working out. I need motivation and you can’t go wrong with music and a medicine ball.
I would definitely recommend I Know A Woman by Kate Hodges. It’s the most amazing book that explores the different connections between a variety of women.
I’m always on the go and travelling a lot, so I can’t live without my Calpak suitcase – I love the sturdy design and the chrome finish, I think it’s really sleek and stylish. It also fits everything in it so I don’t have to worry about packing light!
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