Beauty Box Swap with Row Bow

Hello Lovelies,

A couple of weeks ago I did a beauty box swap with the lovely Row from What Row Chose... and today I wanted to share with you what she picked for my Box.

This is the third beauty box swap I have taken part in and I think they are a really nice way to get to know  other Bloggers and to try things you might not have chosen for yourself or discover products and brands you haven't tried before.

Here is what Row included in my Box…..

I love trying different lip products and I was really excited to see that Row had chosen three Lipsticks for me. The L.A.Colors Lipsticks she chose for me are in the shades Frozen Berries and Fresh. I haven’t tried any lipsticks from this Brand and I am looking forward to giving these a try.

She also chose a Rimmel Lasting Finish Matte by Kate Moss Lipstick in the shade 110. This is a gorgeous red shade and just the sort of colour I love. I don’t think I have tried a matte lipstick before and I am looking forward to trying this.

Row also included for me a Miss Ballantyne Honeybee Lip Balm that she said she loves using. I haven’t tried anything from Miss Ballantyne before but I use lip balms a lot, so I will definitely give use this.

I had mentioned to Row that I have been using liquid eyeliners a lot recently and she chose for me a Dainty Doll Mascara and Eyeliner Duo, which she recommended and I am looking forward to trying it. 

Row knows that I love trying different things with my nails and she chose for me some gorgeous spotty Nail Rock Designer Nail Wrap. She also included in my Box a 7 in 1 Nail File, which is always useful :)

Row also included for me a Mudd Deep Cleansing face mask and some Sanctuary Spa Salt Scrub which will both be perfect when I want to have a little pamper session.

Finally Row chose for me a Body Shop Pink Grapefruit soap that smells lovely and fresh and some cherry hand and face wipes, which are a perfect size for me to keep in my bag :)

In my Box Row included a letter telling me why she chose what she did, which I enjoyed reading and thought was a really nice touch.

Thank you Row for all my lovely things :)

If you want to see what I sent Row in her Box, check out her post about our Beauty Box Swap here.

Have you ever taken part in a beauty box swap?

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

My October 'Beauty Buzz' Birchbox

Hello Lovelies, 

Today I wanted to share with you what I received in my October Birchbox. The theme for this month's box is 'Beauty Buzz' with the products inside being those that are 'award-winning, celeb-favourite and all-around buzzy' and I was really pleased when I saw what was inside mine.  

There was a change with this month's Birchbox and a Birchbox Magazine wasn't included, instead some collectable cards were which give more information about some of the products included in this month's box and how to use them.

Inside my Birchbox was…..

Akane Mask Cocoon Nocturne - 12ml

This is a face mask that you apply before bed and wash off in the morning that claims to 'help beat the signs of tiredness'. I hadn't heard of this product before, but I am always excited to try new skincare products and I haven't used a face mask like this before that you leave on over night, so I am excited to try this. 

KMS California Curl Up Wave Foam Mousse - 75ml

This looks like it encourages curls and also provides heat protection. I don't have naturally straight or curly hair and when left to dry it goes slightly wavy, so products like this usually work quite well for me to give me slight waves and texture, so I will give this a try and hopefully it will give me some subtle curls/waves.

Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturiser SPF 20 in the shade Nude - 14.7ml

I was so excited to see this inside my Birchbox, I have tried this at a Laura Mercier counter before and really liked it. The shade I got is perfect for me and I am really looking forward to using this. 

Dr. Lipp Nipple Balm for Lips - 3ml

I received a sample of this in a recent Glossybox and I haven't actually tried it yet, but hopefully it is as good as it claims to be. These small sample sizes will be perfect to keep in my bag for when my lips feel dry. 

theBalm Cosmetics Stainiac in the shade Beauty Queen - 1.2ml

This is a cheek and lip tint and looks like a gorgeous shade of red, although when on your lips it is more of a pinky red. I got a cheek and lip tint in this month's Glossybox and I am not a huge fan of these types of products. However this comes with a sponge applicator which I liked because it means you can apply it without getting stained fingers and because it has this sort of applicator I will probably use this more than other cheek and lip tints I have. It is the perfect size to keep in your bag and the applicator means you can use it as a lip tint easily. 

UltraDEX Wire-Free Interdental Burshes - 30 brushes & travel case

I haven't used these sorts of products before, but they claim to help whiten teeth and I am always interested in products that help whiten your teeth, so I will give these a try. 

Egyptian Magic All Purpose Skin Cream - 3 x 3ml sachets

This looks like a cream that can be used on your skin or hair and when it is rubbed in your hands it turns from a cream to an oil. I haven't tried anything like this and am intrigued to try it. 

Overall I am really really pleased with what I received this month, I think it probably is one of the best Birchboxes I have received. :) 

If you fancy trying a Birchbox, you can find more details on how 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

Palmer's Cocoa Butter Formula Purifying Face Mask

Hello Lovelies,

Today I wanted to share with you something I've really enjoyed using for the last few weeks and that is Palmer's Cocoa Butter Formula Purifying Face Mask. When Palmer’s Skincare was on offer in Superdrug I bought this and the Cocoa Butter Formula Daily Cleansing Gel because I had been wanting to try this range for a while. I use face masks quite often and I couldn't wait to try this one when I got it. I have used this Face Mask a few times now and have really enjoyed using it.

This face mask has ‘natural Green Clay’ that 'will help draw out pore clogging impurities allowing the deeply nourishing natural Almond Oil to get to work on dry skin'. It also has 'Evening Primrose Oil, Chamomile extracts and Aloe Vera' that 'will help to calm the skin while Menthol will leave it feeling cool' and 'Cocoa Butter will keep the skin nicely moisturised'.

It has a lovely smooth texture and is quite thick, which means it applies to your face easily and evenly and it feels quite cooling when you apply it. It doesn’t smell like Palmer’s Cocoa Butter Formula Lotion but it does have a subtle smell of cocoa butter, which I think is really nice. It dries a little while you have it on, but not completely and once washed off it leaves you skin feeling really clean and fresh. I will definitely buy another one of these when I have used this one up.

Have you tried this or anything else from the Palmer's Skincare Range?

Thanks for reading :)

Nyss x

A little Superdrug Beauty Haul

Hello Lovelies,

At the beginning of last week I noticed Superdrug were offering free delivery on any online order, so I decided to have a browse and I ended up buying a couple of things. I really like reading posts like this, so I thought I would share with you what I got.

Here is what I bought…..

I am a big fan of Palmer's Cocoa Butter Formula Lotion and when Palmer's brought out a skincare range I really wanted to try it. So when I saw that they were on offer (I think they all had a third off), I thought what better time to try a couple of things. After talking to some beauty bloggers on Twitter I decided to try the Cocoa Butter Formula Purifying Face Mask and the Cocoa Butter Formula Daily Cleansing Gel. When they arrived I was a little disappointed, because I had hoped they would smell like the Cocoa Butter Lotion and they don't. I haven’t tried these yet, but after hearing other people’s opinions and reading about them online I am looking forward to using them.

I also got the Palmer’s Cocoa Butter Lip Balm, I haven’t used this before, but I needed a new lip balm, so I thought I would try it and the fact is was on offer as well was an added bonus. It smells just like the Cocoa Butter Formula Lotion, which I was really pleased about and it feels really moisturising when you apply it.

Lastly I got a couple of MUA's Nail Polishes, one in the shade Natural Days, which is a baby pink colour and one in the shade Red Fever, which is a lovely deep red. Recently I have been really liking MUA’s Nail Polishes in Bright Coral and Amaretto Crush, so I could't resist trying a couple more. I think these are excellent value at only £1 and hopefully these will apply as nicely as the other MUA Nail Polishes I have tried.

Have you tried any of these or any other things in the Palmer's Skincare range?

I think Superdrug have some really good offers and I’m going to visit my local one at the weekend to see what offers they have this month :)

Thanks for reading :)

Nyss x

A Little Beauty Haul

Hello Lovelies,

Today I have a little haul post for you. I always love reading what other people have been buying and last weekend I went shopping with my Sister and ended up buying a few beauty bits, so thought I would share with you what I got.

Here is what I bought…..

We popped into Superdrug for a browse and they had the Garnier Moisture Match Moisturisers for half price. I had been wondering whether to try one of these and have read mixed reviews about them, but for only £2.99 I thought I would give it a try. I have combination/oily skin so I chose the Shine Be Gone one that is for combination to oily skin. I haven’t tried this yet, so can’t comment on whether it really does reduce the appearance of shine and mattify your skin.

While in Superdrug I also picked up a Sleek Blush in Flushed, this is a gorgeous pinky red colour with a little bit of shimmer. I have a couple of other Sleek Blushes and really love how pigmented they are and how long they last, so I am looking forward to trying this one.

I have so many nail polishes that I probably have enough to last me for years, but while in Superdrug I also couldn’t resist picking up MUA’s nail polish in Amaretto Crush. This was only £1, which I think is such a bargain. I have a couple of these already and have wanted to try this colour for a while, but my local Superdrug hasn’t had it in stock. This is a lovely summery colour and I love what it looks like in the bottle, so am looking forward to trying it.

Recently another blogger recommended H&M’s Eyelash Curlers to me and they were only £2.99 so I thought I would give them a try. I love that they are pink and thought they were really good value, although I haven’t tried them yet, so not sure how good they are.

While I was in H&M I also picked up another nail polish, which was in the sale for only £1. It is in the shade Oh La La and is a gorgeous dark coral pinky colour with gold shimmer, which I think will be lovely for summer.

From Boots I picked up two bargains, one was the Stella McCartney The Print Collection Eau de Parfum, which was reduced from £40 to £20 for 30ml, because it is part of her 2012 Collection and the 2013 ones are out now. The perfume inside is the classic ‘Stella’ fragrance, which I have always loved and I think this bottle is also really pretty, so I was really pleased I found this and it was half price.

The other product I picked up from Boots was Montagne Jeunesse Tropical Peel Off Face Mask, which was reduced from £5 to £2.50 and it contains 10 applications. I love Montagne Jeunesse face masks and buy the sachets a lot, so thought this was really good value. I have already tried this and it smells gorgeous and left my skin feeling really clean.

I’d love to hear if you have tried any of these things, what you think of them.

Thanks for reading :)

Nyss x