My December 'Festive Treasures' Glossybox

Hello Lovelies,

I received my December Glossybox earlier this week and wanted to share with you what I got this month. The Theme for this month’s Glossybox is 'Festive Treasures' and the Glossybox Team have chosen products for this box to help us get ready for the festive season and keep us looking glam all month.

The actual box this month is different to the usual pink ones and is a lovely red Christmas design  and the tissue inside is red with candy canes on. I think it is really nice when Glossybox have boxes that are different designs to the usual ones and I love this one!

Here is what I got this month…..

Beautiful Movements Cosmetics Nude Lip Gloss - 4ml

This is a lovely nude lip gloss that is quite sheer and would suit a lot of complextions. It says it is non sticky and it isn't as sticky as some lip glosses can be, but I think it feels a little sticky, but it also feels really moisturising. This doesn't really have a scent and I think I would probably like it a bit more if it did. 

Wilkinson Sword Intuition Naturals Razor - Sensitive Care

This razor has a soap bar around the blade that lathers and moisturisers as you use it, so you don't need to use shaving gel or anything like that with it. I have used these sorts of razors before but can't remember whether I liked them or not and I am looking forward to giving this a try. 

Maybelline New York Brow Drama Sculpting Mascara in Medium Brown - 7.6ml

This brow mascara allows you to sculpt your brows to give your a fuller look. If I define my eyebrows I tend to use powder and wax and haven't used a brow mascara before and I am intrigued to try this. 

Seche Nail Lacquer in Scorchin' Hot - 14ml

This is a gorgeous bright red colour and perfect for Christmas time. I already have a Seche Nail Polish that I received in a Glossybox last year and I really like it, so I was really pleased to see this inside.

Bee Nature Natural Soap with Honey 

When I opened my Glossybox the smell of this was the first thing I noticed and it smells really nice. I do not usually use soap because I can find it drying and prefer to use body wash or shower gel, but this one has 'a base of honey and poppy seeds' and it helps exfoliate and moisturise your skin, so I will give this a try. 

Overall I am happy with this month's Glossybox and really like it when you receive full size products and three of this month's products are full size ones. I saw that some people got Maybelline Color Tattoo 24hr Eye Shadows and I have been wanting to try those so I would have liked to have one of those inside, but I am looking forward to trying the Brow Mascara. 

What did you get in your Glossybox this month? Leave me your link as a comment if you have posted about yours.

Thanks for reading :)

Nyss x

NOTD - Collection Gothic Glam Nail Polish in Dramatic

Hello Lovelies,

Today I have a NOTD Post for you and my NOTD is Collection's Gothic Glam Nail Polish in Dramatic. This is a gorgeous red/brown colour with lots of red/pink shimmer in it. There are three other shades in the Gothic Glam Collection, Phantom (a lovely metallic purple colour), Deadly (a dark green with gold shimmer) and Poison (a shimmery green/blue). 

When I saw this I had to buy it because I instantly loved the colour and think it is perfect for this time of year. It has a lovely big brush which makes it easy to apply and the nail polish is quick thick. I always prefer a nail polish like this that is quite thick because I think it makes it easier to apply. For a really solid colour you need to apply two coats of this.

In the photo I have applied a base coat of Rimmel's Nail Nurse Nail Rescue, then two coats of the Collection Nail Polish followed by a coat of top coat of Rimmel Finishing Touch 3D Plumping Top Coat.

Have you tried any of Collection's Gothic Glam Nail Polishes?

Thanks for reading :)

Nyss x

My December 'Winter Wonderland' Birchbox

Hello Lovelies, 

Today I wanted to share with you what I received in my December Birchbox. The theme for this month's box is 'Winter Wonderland' and the Birchbox Team have chosen products for this month’s box that are perfect for this busy time of year when you want to look your best with a bit of added sparkle.

 

Inside my Birchbox was…..

There were chosen to help you sparkle:

Number 4 Non-Aerosol Hair Spray - 43ml

This hair spray gives you flexible ‘crunch-free’ hold and because it is a non-aerosol hairspray it is better for the environment. I do use hairspray so will give this one a go and see how it compares to my current favourite.

Nail Rock Nail Glitter in Blue - 10ml Nail Polish & 5g Glitter

In this set there is a nail polish and a pot of fine glitter. I love nail effects like this although I am not so keen on the shade I received. I saw that some people received this in pink and I think I would have preferred that colour. Does anyone fancy swapping?

Twistband Hair Tie

This is a hair band that claims to not leave any creases in your hair when you tie your hair up and my hair is always left with creases and bumps when I tie it up so I'm looking forward to trying this. I think these are a good idea but not sure how they fit in the category of ‘sparkle’ other than the colour is slightly metallic looking?

These were chosen to help you shine:

Sin-Care Party Girl Serum - 5ml

This is a detoxifying serum that you apply before your moisturiser to brighten your complexion and it claims to assist 'in reducing signs of skin fatigue due to indulging in late nights and alcohol'. I like the sound of this and am looking forward to giving it a try. 

Lamilou Body Milk with Coco Butter and Rose Water - 30ml

This body milk has a delicate rose scent and I really like the smell of it, although I wouldn't have said it is a winter scent? I will use it though and little samples like this are always useful.

Alima Pure Luminous Shimmer Eyeshadow in Paris

This is a gorgeous shimmery mineral eyeshadow that is a light brown/taupe colour and is just the sort of colour I would choose. I can't wait to try this. 

Also included in this month's box was a $20 gift card (approx £12) for Baublebar, which is a fashion jewellery website that is now available in the UK. I haven't browsed their site before so now I have this gift card I have a perfect excuse to :)

Overall I am quite pleased with what I received this month :)

If you fancy trying a Birchbox, you can find more details here.

What did you get in your Birchbox this month? Leave me your link as a comment if you have posted about yours.

Thanks for reading :)

Nyss x

A Storage Idea for your old Candle Jars

Hey Lovelies, 

Today I wanted to share with you a little idea of how you can reuse your old candle jars. I love burning scented candles, particularly at the time of year and I think it is a waste to throw away (or recycle) the glass jars when the candle has finished, so I decided to clean some out and use them to store things in, like makeup brushes and lip glosses or anything that fits really :) 

To get the left over wax out, I put boiling water in the sink and sat the candle jars in it. The wax soon becomes soft around the edges and then you can just lift it out with a knife or something similar. To get any little bits of left over wax off I washed them with hot water and washing up liquid with washing up sponge and used a knife to get off any really stubborn last bits of wax. 

I kept the leftover wax and may melt it all together when I have more and use it to make a candle. You can get wicks from eBay really cheap :)

I am hoping I finish burning some more candles soon so I can reuse some more. 

Let me know if you found this useful.

Thanks for reading :)

Nyss x

Nuxe Rêve de Miel Ultra-Nourishing Lip Balm

Hello Lovelies,

Today I wanted to share with you something I have been using a lot lately and that is Nuxe’s Rêve de Miel Ultra-Nourishing Lip Balm. I was recommended this by a couple of Bloggers on Twitter and when I was ordering some other things from Escentual a little while ago I noticed this was on offer (I think it had 30% off or something similar), so I decided to try it and I am really pleased that I did. 

This has ‘honey and precious oils’ in it, as well as nourishing shea butter which makes it extra moisturising. It is a lovely thick lip balm that feels really moisturising as soon as you apply it and it feels creamy rather than greasy like some lip balms can. I keep this on my bedside table, because it is perfect to use just before bed, so when you wake up your lips are soft, smooth and hydrated. This comes in a glass jar which I think helps makes it feel like the luxurious product that it is.

I have been enjoying using this for a while, but have found myself using it more recently now the weather has turned colder to stop my lips getting dry. This is usually £9.50, which I think is a good price for this and I would buy it again. 

I am sure this is the first Nuxe product I have tried, but after using this I would like to try some more. Do you have any Nuxe products you would recommend or that you have tried and didn't like?

Thanks for reading :)

Nyss x

Blog Sale

Hello Lovelies,

I have been having a tidy up and found some products that I mostly haven’t used/have only used once, so rather than keeping them in a drawer I thought I would have a Blog Sale so they can go to someone who will use them :)

To make it fair I have listed below some ‘rules’ and information below:

UK only.
If more than one person wants the same item I will offer it to the first person to comment first.

If you want to buy something please comment on this Post, including your PayPal email address and I will send you an invoice via PayPal.
Please pay within 24 hours from receiving the invoice from me.
When you have paid for an item it will be crossed out on here.
Once payment has been received I will try and post within a couple of days.
Items will be sent via Royal Mail 2nd Class and postage will be £2.60 per item. If you want me to use a different type of postage let me know and I will let you know what the price will be.
If you buy more than one item I will weigh them together and let you know the combined postage cost.
Any questions, you can leave a comment here or email me at miss_nyss@hotmail.co.uk .
When you send payment please mark as a ‘gift’ if possible.
I have put the condition/usage next to each item.
No returns, so please make sure you know what you are buying (look at swatches online etc if you aren't familiar with something), I don’t want you to buy something thinking it is something else and be disappointed.

This is the first Blog Sale I have done, so if I have forgotten anything let me know :)

Happy Shopping :)

Philosophy Miracle Worker Miraculous Anti-Aging Moisturizer - not used, still sealed - £28 (RRP £46.00)

Philosophy The Microdelivery Peel - not used - £40.00 (RRP £59.00)

Illamasqua Liquid Metal in Electrum - not used - £10.00

Laura Geller Inkwell Waterproof Gel Liner in Purple - not used - £4.00

MeMeMe Cherub's Blush Cheek & Lip Tint - swatched once - £2.00

 Orly Nail Lacquer in Beautiful Disaster - used once - £4.00

Jelly Pong Pong 2-in-1 Eyeliner & Shadow - I'm not sure what shade this is/ - not used, still sealed - £4

Miners Lip Colour in Mulled Wine - not used, still sealed - £1.50

Nyss x

Wall Stickers

Hello Lovelies, 

I had quite a large blank space on the wall behind my TV between the top of the TV and the ceiling and decided I wanted a wall sticker to break it up a bit. There are so many wall stickers available online and lots that you can have customised. After looking at lots of different ones I found this gorgeous one of a cat sitting on a branch with some birds, which I bought from here.  

You can get this particular sticker in different colours and I chose black because my Lounge is mainly black, cream and teal. When it arrived I wasn't sure how easy it would be to apply to the wall, but it was really easy although because it was quite big I did need someone's help to actually put it on the wall. 

It came with a sheet covering the front and the back of the sticker. Firstly you had to put the sticker on a flat surface and rub the back of the sticker with a credit card to ensure it was stuck to the front sheet. Then gently peel off the backing sheet, which leaves the sticky side exposed and the sticker still stuck to the front sheet. Then you just position it on the wall, smooth over the front sheet with a credit card to ensure the sticker is stuck to the wall and then gently peel off the front sheet. Then once the sticker is stuck to the wall you can rub out any bubbles with a soft cloth. 

I was really pleased how this turned out and would definitely buy something like this again. I quite like the wall stickers that are quotes, like 'Always Kiss Me Goodnight' and 'Live every moment, Laugh every day, Love beyond words.', so might get one of these for somewhere else in the House.

I hope you found this helpful if you are looking for something for your wall and want something a bit different to a canvas or picture. 

Thanks for reading :)

Nyss x 

NOTD - Barry M Textured Glitter Nail Paint in Countess

Hello Lovelies,

Today I have a NOTD Post for you and my NOTD is Barry M Textured Glitter Nail Paint in Countess. This is part of Barry M’s new Royal Glitter Collection and a few weeks ago I got this one and Duchess which I posted about here.

This is the most gorgeous dark purple colour with lots of sparkle in it and I absolutely love it and think it is perfect for this time of year. The nail polish is quite thick and the brush is also a nice big thick one that means it is really easy to apply. You could get away with just one coat, but I like to apply two. When it dries it is like Barry M's other Textured Nail Paint and not smooth, but if you apply a top coat it makes it more sparkly and glossy. I think if you applied more than one coat of a top coat it would be even smoother and glossier. 

In the photo I have applied a base coat of Rimmel’s Nail Rescue, then two coats of the Barry M Nail Paint followed by a coat of No. 7's Stay Perfect Top Coat.

Have you tried any of these?

Thanks for reading :)

Nyss x

John Lewis Blogger Secret Santa - My Gift

Hello Lovelies,

You may have seen that I recently took part in the John Lewis Blogger Secret Santa. I was so excited to be invited to take part and I had to choose a gift for Charlotte from Confessions of a Small Town Girl. I chose her a Ted Baker Tyro Crystal Bow Bobble Patent Purse in Black. The gift she chose for me arrived at the weekend and I was really excited to see what she had chosen for me. 

Charlotte chose for me a Ciaté Mini Nail Lacquer Advent Calendar and a Ciaté Red Velvet Manicure Set. I was really pleased when I saw that she had chosen these for me. I paint my nails at least twice a week at the moment because I find that if they aren't painted they tend to break more, so these really are excellent gifts for me.

I think Beauty Advent Calendars are a lovely idea and I have already treated myself to the Boots one, so now I have two to look forward to opening and I can’t wait until 1st December! I haven’t looked at the back of the Advent Calendar and I'm not going to so when I open it, the colour/type of nail polish will be a surprise.

I haven’t tried a velvet manicure set before but I love red nail polish, especially at this time of year and this looks gorgeous. This was a perfect choice as a gift for me and I can’t wait to try it! 

Thank you Charlotte for choosing me these gifts and to John Lewis for sending me them!

Did you take part in John Lewis’ Blogger Secret Santa?

Thanks for reading :)

Nyss x

Primark Christmassy/Winter Throw

Hello Lovelies, 

Today I wanted to show you something I bought on a recent shopping trip to Primark and that is this gorgeous Christmassy/Winter Throw. 

There is nothing I like more at this time of year than snuggle up in front of the telly after a day at work when it is cold, dark and wintry outside and this throw is perfect for this. I know this Throw is quite Christmassy and it is only November but I already have this on the corner of my sofa and will probably keep it there until the weather starts to get warmer.

It is quite big (125cm x 150cm) and is made of a fleecy material that is really soft. This was only £5 which I think is really good value and would be a lovely treat for yourself or make a lovely Christmas present. 

Have you got a Christmassy/winter throw that you really like?

Thanks for reading :)

Nyss x 

Another little Elf Haul

Hello Lovelies,

I was really impressed with the things I got in my Elf Haul earlier this month, which I posted about here, and so when I saw Elf had an offer of 30% off and free postage when you spent over £25 I couldn't resist trying some more things and I thought I would share with you what I got. 

The first things I chose were four Luscious Liquid Lipsticks in the shades Pink Lemonade, Ruby Slipper, Nude Pink and Raspberry. In my first order I got one of these Liquid Lipsticks in Pink Lemonade (I posted about this here) and loved it so much I got another and I really wanted to try some other colours and I'm looking forward to using these. These are only £1.50 and I think they are amazing value for money. 

Pink Lemonade - Nude Pink - Raspberry - Ruby Slipper 

Recently I have been looking for an eyeshadow that I wear  as an everyday eyshadow and I decided to try two of the Baked Eyeshadows, I chose Toasted and Bark. These were £3.75 and look really shimmery and I am looking forward to trying these. 

Bark - Toasted 

I also got a Baked Blush in Passion Pink that was also £3.75. This is a gorgeous pink/nude colour with a darker pink running through it with a little bit of shimmer in it. Before I chose to order this shade, I looked at some swatches on other Blogs and this looked like a gorgeous colour and I am excited to try this. 

Passion Pink 

I have been wanting to try a concealer palette for a while, because I like the idea of being able to mix some different shades to find your perfect shade and Elf had one that was only £3.75 so I decided to try it. I chose the lightest shade of the Complete Coverage Concealer Palette, although these don't look that light so if you have really fair skin they might be too dark for you. They look a bit more yellow toned than the photo shows and I normally go for pink toned concealers so not sure how I will get on with these, but I will try them and I am hoping the colours match my skin tone if not I might have to try them next summer when I have a bit more colour. This comes with a mirror in the lid and a little brush which I think are nice little extras.

I also got a Eyelash & Brow Wand because it was only £1.50 and I like to brush my eyebrows with one of these and the one I have at the moment is quite old, so I thought I would replace it. 

Elf have some Lipsticks that are only £1.50 so I decided to try one of these and I chose the shade Posh which looks like a berry red colour, which is the sort of colour I like wearing at this time of year and I am looking forward to trying this.

Posh

Lastly I ordered a Duo Eyeshadow in Butter Pecan, these both have a bit of shimmer in them and I think they will look lovely on their own and nice together and this was only £1.50 so I couldn't resist trying this.

All the prices I mentioned above are the normal prices, but when I placed this order I got 30% off these prices, so these were even more of a bargain. Elf seem to be having lots of offers like this at the moment, so if you want to try any of these or anything else keep a look out for future discount offers. 

Have you taken advantage of any of Elf's discount offers recently? What did you order?

Thanks for reading :)

Nyss x

My November 'Icons' Birchbox

Hello Lovelies, 

Today I wanted to share with you what I received in my November Birchbox. The theme for this month's box is 'Icons' and the Birchbox Team have taken their 'motivation from the icons that help inspire us to be the best possible versions of ourselves' and I think the products chosen for this month are from what they consider iconic brands.

Inside my Birchbox was…..

Weleda Citrus Creamy Body Wash - 20ml

This Body Wash has moisturising sesame oil and I really like using body washes that are also moisturising, especially at this time of year. It smells really fresh and I will look forward to using this. It is quite a small sample size, but I guess if you were going away for the night it would be perfect to take with you. 

Beauty Protector Protect & Detangle Leave in Conditioner - (I can't see what size this is)

This is a leave in conditioner that is also a heat protector. I received one of these samples in my July Birchbox (which I posted about here), so I was a bit disappointed to receive another one this month, although I do like using it and it smells really nice. I tweeted Birchbox to mention this and they told me to email them and they will replace it, because you shouldn't get the same thing twice in only a few months, which I thought was excellent customer service and reassured me that I shouldn't in the future get the same things I have previously received. 

Chella Ivoory Lace Highlighter Pencil - 1.4g

I love using highlighters and this pencil is a gorgeous colour and feels really soft and I am looking forward to using this.  Birchbox posted an article with 10 different ways to use this, which I found interesting and you can find it here.

Laura Mercier Long Lash Mascara in Black - 5.67g

Last month I received a Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturiser and was really excited to receive this Mascara this month. The card that came with my Birchbox says this is 'smudge-free and lengthens lashes for a wide-eyed, fluttery look' and I can't wait to try this.

English Laundry Signature For Her Eau de Parfum - 2ml

I'm not always so pleased when I get little samples like this in Birchboxes and Glossyboxes, but they are handy to keep in your bag and I guess a good way to discover fragrances you might not have otherwise. I am really bad at trying to describe scents, but this smells quite sweet but is also fresh and is really nice, so I will use this and try this if you get a chance to because it does smell really lovely.  

Pukka Herbs Selection of Teas - 3 x 2g.

These smell quite strong and the smell of these was the first thing I noticed when I opened my Birchbox. The flavours I got were Gorgeous Earl Grey, Three Cinnamon and Elderberry & Echinacea, but I do not like teas like this so will give these to someone who does. 

Birchbox Pencil Sharpener 

I really like when you get little extras like this and I was particularity pleased when I saw this because I have been needing a pencil sharper for bigger pencils for a while and I hope the eyeshadow pencils I have fit this. 

Overall I am really really pleased with what I received this month and I think Birchbox have done really well again this month and have done for the last couple of months. 

If you fancy trying a Birchbox, you can find more details here.

What did you get in your Birchbox this month? Leave me your link as a comment if you have posted about yours.

Thanks for reading :)

Nyss x

The 2013 Christmas Tag

Hello Lovelies,

I have been feeling really Christmassy for the last few weeks and when I saw Georgina's Christmas Tag on her Blog Makeup-Pixi3 I thought it would be fun to do it myself. I am especially excited about Christmas this year because it is the first year in my new House and so the first time I will get to decorate it :) Also my Niece will be 14 months old at Christmas and I am really looking forward to spending time over the Christmas period with her because this year she will be more aware of what is going on than last year. 

1. Do you prefer a real Christmas tree or synthetic?

Both my Parents have always had real trees and I do prefer a real tree. I love going to choose one and I also love the smell and look of a real one, but this year I am going to have a synthetic one. I got a synthetic one for a real bargain in the January sales this year, it is a green 6ft pre lit tree and it was reduced from £80 to £20!

2. You're in a coffee shop, it's December, what do you pick?

I don’t drink tea or coffee, so for me it would have to be a hot chocolate. I love going Christmas shopping when it is cold outside and warming up with a hot chocolate. Last year I tried a white chocolate hot chocolate in a Thortons Café and it was amazing!

3. What is your favourite colour scheme for decorating the tree?

I love trees with gold decorations mixed with another colour and this year the colour scheme for my tree is going to be gold, bright pink and bright purple :)

4. Giving or receiving?

Of course I like receiving presents, who doesn't, but I love choosing presents for people and there are some I have bought already that I know people are going to love, I just wish I didn't have to wait until Christmas to give them to them!

5. To mince pie or not to?

I'm not a huge fan of mince pies, so for me it’s ‘not to’.

6. What's your traditional Christmas lunch?

We never have turkey and tend to have lamb or beef with all the trimmings of a traditional Christmas lunch. 

7. Christmas Day fashion

I like to wear a Christmas jumper on Christmas Day and this year I have bought a wine/burgundy one that has cream reindeer on it that have a little bit of gold running through them. Have you bought a Christmas jumper this year?

8. What's your favourite Christmas song?

I don’t know how I could choose just one, I love all the Christmas songs that you hear on the radio and in shops all the time around Christmas like Mariah Carey – All I Want For Christmas Is You, Wham! – Last Christmas, Slade – Merry Xmas Everybody, Elton John – Step Into Christmas, Band Aid – Do They Know It’s Christmas?. Hearing these sorts of songs always makes me feel really Christmassy!

9. What's your favourite Christmas film?

This is really hard as I like lots of Christmas films, but I guess if I had to narrow it down I would chose Elf and Love Actually. 

10. Open presents before or after lunch?

My Christmas Days are different each year, because sometimes I spend them at my Dad’s and sometimes at my Mum’s, but at both we would probably open presents before lunch. 

I hope you enjoyed reading this and if you are reading you're tagged too! I'm looking forward to reading your answers. Tweet me the link to your post and leave it in the comments below and don’t forget to mention Makeup-Pixi3 too!

Thanks for reading :)

Nyss x

NOTD - Barry M Textured Glitter Nail Paint in Duchess

Hello Lovelies,

Today I have a NOTD Post for you and my NOTD is Barry M Textured Glitter Nail Paint in Duchess. I love anything sparkly and when I saw Barry M’s new Royal Glitter Collection I couldn't resist getting a couple. I got Duchess which is a lovely nude/silver/gold colour with lots of sparkle and Countess which is a dark purple colour with lots of sparkle.

This is a lovely thick nail polish with a nice thick brush that applies really easily and you could probably get away with just one coat, although I applied two coats. Once applied it is like Barry M's other Textured Nail Paint and not very smooth, but when you apply a top coat it makes it more sparkly and glossy.

I absolutely love this and the Countess one too (I will do a NOTD with this one soon) and think they will both be nice for this time of year and particularly around Christmas. In the photo I have applied a base coat of Rimmel’s Nail Rescue, then two coats of the Barry M Nail Paint followed by a coat of Rimmel Finishing Touch 3D Plumping Top Coat.

Have you tried any of these?

Thanks for reading :)

Nyss x