My January 'Back to Basics' Glossybox

Hello Lovelies,

I received my January Glossybox earlier this week and I always look forward to it arriving and seeing what is inside, but this month I was quite disappointed with what was inside mine. The Theme for this month’s Glossybox is 'Back to Basics' and the Glossybox Team have chosen 'simple essentials' for this box.

The actual box this month was the same pink colour as the usual ones, although it looks a bit glossier and is bigger than the usual ones. The ribbon inside has also been changed and now has Glossybox and the Glossybox symbol printed on it.

Here is what I got this month…..

Yu-Be Moisturising Skin Cream - 2 x 3g

This is a 'multi-use' moisturising cream that can be used on really dry skin including your face and lips. I hadn't heard of this brand or product before and it isn't something I would normally buy, but I will give it a try. 

Balance Me Super Toning Body Wash - 50ml

This Body Wash has 'juniper, bergamot, geranium and lavender essential oils' in it and unfortunately I really don't like the smell of it, so I think I will see if a friend or one of my sisters likes the smell and I'll give it to them. 

The Vintage Cosmetic Company Floral Slanted Tweezers

These tweezers have a gorgeous floral pattern on them and are probably my favourite thing in this month's Glossybox, although I already have a few pairs of tweezers, so didn't really need another. 

Anatomicals Puffy The Eye Bag Slayer Wake-Up Under Eye Patches - 2 sachets

I've tried a few Anatomical things before, but hadn't heard of these. They 'help reduce the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles and revitalise the delicate skin around your eyes'. I haven't tried any eye patches before am intrigued to see how these work, so will give them a try.

Vaseline Essential Moisture Clean Feeling Lotion - 50ml

I was a bit disappointed to see this in my Glossybox, because I thought the samples in Glossyboxes were supposed to be high end ones and I wouldn't say Vaseline was high end. Although moisturisers like this are always handy so I am sure I will use this. 

Overall I am not very excited about what I received in my Glossybox this month and after speaking to other people on Twitter I realised that I am not the only one who was disappointed with this month’s Glossybox. I really hope Glossybox do better next month or I may have to cancel my subscription, particularly as my Birchboxes have been so good recently.

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

Christmas Beauty Box Swap - My Box from Hannah

Hello Lovelies,

Back in November I organised a Christmas Beauty Box Swap and everyone who wanted to take part was randomly paired with someone and I was paired with Hannah from The Makeup Times. We had planned to send the boxes before Christmas so everyone would have them by Christmas, but unfortunately Hannah didn't send mine until the middle of January. I am not sure of the reason it was sent late, but Hannah did say she had added a couple of extras to make up for the delay, which was nice of her.

My box was wrapped up and inside all my the things inside were wrapped individually, which I think was a really lovely touch and I did the same with the things I sent to Hannah. 

I hadn't tried anything from Elf until the end of last year and so far I have been impressed with the things I have tried, so I was pleased that Hannah had chosen me some things from Elf. She chose a Duo Powder Eyeshadow in Mocha Swirl, a Lip Stain in Berry Blush, an Eyeliner & Shadow Stick in Smoke/Black, a Blush in Innocence and a Nail Polish in Mango Madness. These are just the sort of colours I would choose for myself and I'm excited to try them. 

Also included in my Box was a gorgeous Ted Baker 'I Wanna Be Loved By You' set which includes a beautiful makeup bag, a hand cream, a body spray, a lip balm and a candle, which all smell really lovely and I'm looking forward to using them.

She also chose for me some No. 7 Blissful Body Wash and a bath bomb, which both smell lovely and I am looking forward to using these and as a little extra Hannah also included a Chocolate Orange and who doesn't love a Chocolate Orange! :)

I really enjoyed organising this Beauty Box Swap and taking part in it. I will probably organise another one for Christmas this year, so if it’s something you would be interested in, follow me on Twitter, Bloglovin or GFC and watch out for a post around November.

Did you take part in a Christmas Beauty Box Swap? If you did leave me the link to your post about it, because I love seeing what other people received and sent.

Thanks for reading :)

Nyss x

Revlon Lip Butter in Raspberry Pie

Hello Lovelies, 

Today I wanted to share with you something I have been loving recently and that is my Revlon Lip Butter in Raspberry Pie. My friend bought this for me about a year ago and it is the only Revlon Lip Butter I have tried. I used it a lot when I first got it but then hadn't used it for a while, until a couple of weeks ago when I saw it in with my other lipsticks and decided I needed to wear it more.

Raspberry Pie is a gorgeous bright pink colour that is really pigmented and feels very moisturising, which I something I love from a lip product, it feels just like you are wearing a thick lip balm. The colour lasts really well and I can’t believe I haven’t bought any more of these.

If you want a strong bold glossy colour you can apply a couple of coats and that is what I have done in the photo below.

Or if you want a more subtle colour, you can apply a little and then blend it in with your fingers, which I quite like just to brighten up my lips and I have done this in the photo below.

I really want to try some more of these, what colours are your favourites?

Thanks for reading :)

Nyss x

NOTD - Ciaté Nail Polish in Ferris Wheel and Mavala Nail Polish in Pure Diamond

Hello Lovelies,

Today I have a NOTD Post for you and my NOTD is Ciaté Nail Polish in Ferris Wheel with Mavala Nail Polish in 213 Pure Diamond on the tips. The Ciaté Nail Polish was one of the nail polishes that was in my Ciaté Mini Mani Advent Calendar and it is a gorgeous baby blue colour. The Mavala Nail Polish was in my Boots Beauty Advent Calendar and is a lovely silver holographic glittery nail polish.

I had seen photos on Blogs and Instagram of nails that have been painted to have this gradient glitter effect and I loved how it looked, so I thought I would give it a go and it was really easy to do. First I painted my nails with a base coat of Ciaté Underwear Base Coat, followed by two coats of the Ciaté Nail Polish, which applied really nicely. Then I put a thick line of the Mavala Nail Polish on the tips and left it for a few seconds before gently pulling it down my nail a bit. I used two coats of the Mavala Nail Polish because I wanted them to be really sparkly. I then applied a coat of Ciaté Speed Coat Top Coat, which left them really shiny.

I love the gradient glitter effect and I think this colour combination is gorgeous and it reminds me of winter, ice and frost, although not sure if that is just me? I can’t wait to try this effect out with some different nail polish combinations.

Have you tried a this nail effect? What colour combinations do you like?

Thanks for reading :)

Nyss x

My January 'Tiny Tweaks' Birchbox

Hello Lovelies, 

Today I wanted to share with you what I received in my January Birchbox. The theme for this month's box is 'Tiny Tweaks’, with the idea behind this being that if you break your new year resolutions down into ‘bite-sized pieces’ and make small changes each day they are more achievable and ‘will make a big difference by year end’. I really like this way of thinking about goals you have no matter how big or small they are. The Birchbox Team have chosen the products for this month's Box to help you make ‘tiny tweaks’ that together will make a big difference.

Included with this month’s box was a little booklet ‘filled with 30 Birchbox-approved tiny tweaks’ and I think this is a lovely idea with good tips in such as 'Add a slice of lemon to hot water and drink first thing in the morning to kickstart your metabolism'. 

The Birchbox this month was different to the previous ones I have received and the samples weren't in a little drawstring bag, instead they were wrapped in baby pink tissue paper. I quite liked the drawstring bags, but I guess you could end up with too many and it did look nice wrapped liked this.

Inside my Birchbox was…..

Philip Kingsley Elasticizer - 20ml

This is a hair mask that you apply before you shampoo your hair. The ends of my hair seem a bit dry at the moment so I think I will make an effort to use this soon. I received a sample of this in my August Birchbox, so wasn't too excited to see a sample of this included again so soon. I haven’t used the one I received in August yet so now I have two of them I hope I like this hair mask!

Benefit The Porefessional - 7.5ml

This is a primer that ‘magically erases pores and leaves skin velvety’. I already have a full size one of these and have repurchased it a few times. I love it, because not only does it keep my makeup in place it also helps keep my skin matte throughout the day, so I was happy this was included in my Birchbox this month.

Laura Mercier Ambre Vanillé Soufflé Body Crème - 25g

I haven’t tried any of the Laura Mercier Soufflé Body Crèmes, but have read so many good things about them, so I was really excited to see this inside my Box. It smells amazing and is the perfect size to take with you if you are going on holiday or away for the weekend. It has ‘shea butter, jojoba, grape seed oil’ and ‘aloe vera gel’ in it and I can’t wait to try it.

Premae Anatomy Nutrients Instant Renewal Body Oil with sunflower and rosewood - 20ml

I am a big fan of Premae, especially their Harmony range and if you have oily/combination skin you should give this a try! However I haven’t tried any of their body products and this body oil claims to ‘moisturise, tone and detoxify skin’. I do not usually use body oils as I like to use something that absorbs quickly into my skin, but I will definitely be trying this out.

Delarom Acquaconfort Mask - 15ml

I am really into trying out different skincare products at the moment and love using face masks, so I am always happy to see one of these in my Birchbox. This one helps ‘nourish skin and restore suppleness and vitality’ and I am looking forward to giving this one a try.

Birchbox Eye Mask

I always like getting little extras like this in my Birchbox, however I received one of these in my August one so now I have two, so I think I will give this one to a friend or one of my sisters.

Overall I am really pleased with what I received and I think Birchbox have done really well again this month, although it would have been nice to receive at least one full size product. 

I love trying new brands and think beauty boxes like this are a perfect way to discover brands you might not come across otherwise. It is also nice to receive samples from high end well-known brands and Birchbox did well this month by including a Benefit and Laura Mercier sample. 

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

Lava Shell Massage at Imagine Spa, Blofield Heath

Hello Lovelies,

One of my favourite things to do is visit a spa or have a beauty treatment and last week I was lucky enough to have one of the best massages I have had in a  long time.

It was my Birthday on Thursday and after a lovely day and lunch with my Mum, Sister and Niece, in the evening I went with a friend to the Imagine Spa in Blofield Heath near Norwich for a Lava Shell Massage. I have been to this Spa before for a spa day and love the setting and feel of it. The decor is very modern and luxurious which creates a warm and welcoming feel and I think it is the perfect place for a relaxing day or evening or just to visit for a treatment.

We decided to try a lava shell massage because it was one of their January offers and had 50% off. I'd had a hot stone massage before but hadn't had a lava stone massage and wasn't sure what to expect before we went.

Imagine Spa describe this massage by saying ‘Imagine your favourite aromatherapy oil massaged gently into your body using
unique Tiger Clam Shells with their revolutionary internal heating system. An hour of continuous massage will give you the ULTIMATE calming and soothing
massage.’

When we arrived we waited for a few minutes in their cosy waiting room until it was time for our massages. As we walked to the treatment rooms their attention to detail made the experience feel really special with petals and candles on the floor on one side of the corridor that lead to the treatment room. They have single and double treatment rooms available and we decided on a double one. I wish I had taken a photo of the room because it was set out beautifully, but in my excitement I didn't think to!

This was a full body massage and the therapist started with the back of my legs, followed by my back, then the front of my legs, my arms and lastly my shoulders and neck. She started by massaging the oil into me with her hands and then used the shells which were really warm and very smooth. It was so relaxing and gentler than some massages can be, which I really liked and the oil she used smelt amazing. The only thing that could have made me enjoy the massage more than I did was if the therapist had started with my arms and front of my legs and finished with the back of my legs and my back instead of the other way round, because I think it is so relaxing to finish a back massage.  

I forgot to ask while I was there how the shells stay so warm, so when I got home I googled it and found that inside the shells is a sachet that heats up when a heat activator is added to it and it stays hot for an hour.

We enjoyed this so much that we are hoping to go back again before the 50% off offer ends.

If you want any more information about Imagine Spa in Blofield Heath you can find it here and if you want a relaxing and soothing massage I recommend you try a lava shell one.

Have you ever had one of these massages?

Thanks for reading :)

Nyss x

Elf Mineral Eyeshadows

Hello Lovelies,

Today I wanted to share with you a little bargain I discovered just before Christmas and that is Elf's Mineral Eyeshadows. These are normally £3.00, but I ordered these when Elf had a 50% off offer so I got them for only £1.50 each!

I decided to try two shades and I got Celebrity which is a gorgeous shimmery champagne colour and Confident which is a really lovely shimmery brown.

Confident

Celebrity 

I haven’t used many loose eye shadows like this so wanted to give them a try and I am really glad that I did, because I love them. They are really smooth to apply and easy to blend. When I use them I use a primer underneath and they last for most of the day. I love both of these colours and how shimmery and sparkly they are, which I wear just for everyday but they are also perfect if you are going somewhere special or for a night out. Although if you don’t like shimmery eyeshadows these might not be for you.

These are available in quite a few shades and I definitely want to try some other shades, so next time Elf have an offer I may order some more.

Have you tried any of these?

Thanks for reading :)

Nyss x

Bloggers Love..... Beauty Bar Event

Hello Lovelies,

I've had a busy but really lovely week this week that started with a visit to London on Tuesday with the lovely Rach from Sunshine and Sparkles. We spent the afternoon shopping on Oxford Street and in Covent Garden and I particularly loved browsing the beauty halls of Selfridges, Debenhams and John Lewis. In Selfridges a lovely lady on the Illamasqua counter offered to show me some of their products and I loved the finished look, especially the eyeliner. I don’t wear eyeliner like this much, but I want to try and wear it more often because I loved it.

I was very restrained and I only bought a couple things. I got two Blackberry Bath Bombs from Lush, some gorgeous sparkly star earrings from Oasis and some Philosophy Sweet Fluffy Cupcake Shampoo, Shower Gel & Bubble Bath. This is the first Philosophy Shampoo, Shower Gel & Bubble Bath I have tried and it smells amazing and it a lovely shimmery blue colour and I can’t wait to try it.

At 6 o'clock we went to the Bloggers Love..... Beauty Bar Event at Penthouse London. I hadn't been to a Bloggers Love... Event before because from where I live it takes almost 3 hours to get to London, but when I got the invite to this one it looked really good so we decided to go and make a day of it. 

When we got there one of the first things I noticed was the view, we were on the 8th Floor and the view of London at night with the London Eye and Big Ben lit up was amazing, especially because I wouldn't normally get to see London from so high up.

At the Beauty Bar Event each Brand had a little space around the room and the Brands that were there were:

The Make Up Bullet
Yumi Lashes
Herra Haircare
Artdeco
Eve Taylor
My Treat Card
Argentum Apothecary
ARK Skincare
La Cure UK

Everyone was so passionate about their products and it was a pleasure talking to them and discovering new brands and products I hadn't heard of before. One of the lovely ladies representing La Cure UK gave me a lovely hand massage using La Cure UK Papaya Body Butter which smelt amazing and left my hand feeling really smooth and hydrated. 

Below are a few photos from the Beauty Bar Event.

All the Brands were very generous and I came home with some treats that I can’t wait to try out.

Thank you Bloggers Love..... for inviting me to this Beauty Bar Event and I hope to be invited to more in the future :)

Did you go to this Beauty Bar Event? Have you been to any Bloggers Love..... Events?

Thanks for reading :)

Nyss x

NOTD - Rimmel 60 Seconds Nail Polish in Rapid Ruby and Maybelline Color Show Nail Polish in Wine Shimmer

Hello Lovelies,

Today I have a NOTD Post for you and this is the nail polish combination I chose to wear for New Years Eve, if you follow me on Instagram you may have seen me post a photo of this. The Nail Polishes I chose were Rimmel 60 Seconds Nail Polish in Rapid Ruby and Maybelline Color Show Nail Polish in Wine Shimmer. My Sister bought me both of these for Christmas and they are just the sort of colours I love. Rapid Ruby is a gorgeous deep red and Wine Shimmer is a pinky red with lots of glitter in it.

The Rimmel one is quite thick and really easy to apply with quite a big brush. On the bottle it says that this is a one coat nail polish that dries in 60 seconds, and you could probably get away with just one coat of this, but I always prefer to apply two and did try quite quickly. The Maybelline one isn't as thick, but was also easy and quick to apply. I love how these look together, although the photo doesn't show how sparkly they actually were.

In the photo I have applied a base coat of Ciaté Underwear Base Coat, then two coats of the Rimmel 60 Seconds Nail Polish followed by two coats of the Maybelline Color Show Nail Polish.

What nail polishes did you choose for Christmas and New Year?

Thanks for reading :)

Nyss x