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

Nivea’s In-Shower Body Moisturiser Skin Conditioner

Hello Lovelies,

Today I wanted to share with you something I have been really enjoying recently and that is Nivea’s In-Shower Body Moisturiser Skin Conditioner.

I'm guilty of not moisturising as much as I should, so when a friend recommended this to me I thought I would give it a try. It is a moisturiser you apply in the shower, rinse off and then dry as usual. I was a little bit sceptical about this at first and when you first get out of the shower it does feel a little sticky, but it soon absorbs into your skin and when you are dry it leaves your skin feeling lovely and moisturised and smells really nice too. This is the perfect solution if you are in a rush or just guilty of forgetting to moisturise like I do.

I got the one for normal skin that has Sea Minerals in it, but there is also one for dry skin that has Almond Oil in and both come in two sizes - 250ml and 400ml. I bought the 250ml one, but wish I had got the larger one, because the only downside to this is that I seem to use quite a lot each time. When I finish this one I will definitely be purchasing the larger size :)

Have you tried this or any other products like it?

Thanks for reading :)

Nyss x

My August 'Summer Nights' Birchbox

Hello Lovelies,

Today I wanted to share with you what I received in my Birchbox this month. The August Birchbox is my second Birchbox after I bought a six month subscription in July. When it arrived just over a week ago I was excited to see what was inside.

For this Month’s Box Birchbox have teamed up with InStyle and the theme for this month is Summer Nights.

As well as the Birchbox itself you also get a Birchbox Magazine that has short articles about various things including beauty, life and about some of the products that were in this month’s Birchboxes, which I think is a nice little extra.

Inside my Birchbox was…..

Bluemandarines SkinLife Energetic Cellular Cream - 10ml

This is a facial cream that claims to brighten, refresh and protect your skin and it can be used in the morning and in the evening. I haven’t heard of this Brand before, but will try this and if it does what it says it does then I’m sure I’ll like it.

Philip Kingsley Elasticizer - 40ml

This was a product chosen by InStyle and is a 'super-moisturising pre-shampoo treatment' that 'add elasticity, manageability, bounce and shine' and also ‘strengthens, nourishes and prevents breakages’. I don't think I have tried a hair treatment that you use before shampooing before, but my hair does feels like it could really use this at the moment, so I was pleased to see this in my Birchbox.

Gerda Spillmann Hydro Pearls Moisture Lotion - 10ml

This is a smoothing make-up primer and I do like using primers especially if I need my makeup to last a bit longer, so I was pleased with this and will definitely try it.

LaQA & Co. Lip Pencil in Ring of Fire

This was another one of the products chosen by InStyle and it is moisturising lip pencil that can be used all over your lips. Being a fan of red lip products I instantly loved this colour and although I would have liked to receive a full size one this size is perfect to take out and about with you. This smells slightly minty and I'm looking forward to trying this. 

Molton Brown Ylang-Ylang Body Wash – 30ml

This is the last product that was chosen by InStyle and it is a gorgeous smelling body wash. The bottle is quite small so I am not sure how many uses I will get out of it, but I think I will keep it for if I go away for a weekend or something as it is a perfect travel size.

Inner Me Beautify Me Vitamin Complex - 14 days supply

This is a supplement for your skin, hair and nails that contains MSM, Silica, Marine Collagen and Vitamin C, which together 'are the first natural steps to healthy skin, hair and nails'. I am not sure whether I will use these or not, I will need to read about them a bit first. I did really like the packaging though, because when you pull one side of the tablets out the other side comes out too.

Birchbox Gel Mask

This was a little beauty extra this month and I think it is always nice to get little extras.

Overall I am pleased with what I received this month and although I didn’t receive any full size products I think I will have to accept that unlike with Glossybox I probably won’t receive any full size products in my Birchboxes, although I hope they will surprise me in a future box :) I also like how the products come in little drawstring bags. 

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 First Birchbox - July 2013

Hello Lovelies, 

I have been subscribed to Glossybox for a while now, but hadn't tried a Birchbox before. At the end of July there was an offer on Facebook, where you could buy a six month Birchbox subscription for the price of a three month subscription which meant it was only £38.85 for six months and so I couldn't resist trying them. The first Birchbox I received was the July one, which had a 'Jet Set' theme and I was really excited to see what was inside.

As well as the products I also got a Birchbox Magazine, which has little bite size articles, about a variety of things from what to read and watch this month to jet set tips, to make up tips, recipes and information about the products that which were included in the July Birchboxes. I really liked this and the short articles means it nice to pick up and just have a flick through. Also included was a card telling me about the products in my Birchbox, a little card welcoming me to Birchbox and a card saying that for next month's box Birchbox have teamed with Instyle.

I had expected the actual box to be a bit bigger but I think that is because I was probably comparing it to Glossyboxes. What I really liked about this compared to Glossyboxes was that inside the box the products were in a cute little drawstring bag.

Inside my Birchbox was.....

Blanc Cachemire Protective Day Cream - 15ml

I had not heard of this Brand before and this Day Cream is described as a 'lightweight moisturising cream' that absorbs quickly into your skin. I normally use moisturising creams for oily/combination skin and it doesn't say anywhere what skin type this is for, but I'm looking forward to trying it and hope it is as lovely as the Birchbox Magazine says it is. 

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

Again I had not heard of this product, but a leave in conditioner that is also a heat protector is always handy. The bottle says this is a 'thermal protector' and 'uv protector' that seals cuticles, smoothes hair, locks in colour, adds shine and is weightless and non-greasy, which sounds good to me. If it does all these things I will love using it and as a bonus it smells lovely :)

theBalm cosmetics InStain Long Wearing Powder Staining Blush in Swiss Dot - 0.5g

When I first saw this I was a bit disappointed by the size, I think the full size products Glossybox sometimes contains has spoilt me. However the packaging is so cute and I guess with it being so small it will be perfect to take out and about with you, and the colour is gorgeous so I'm looking forward to using this. 

Laura Geller Beauty Inkwell Gel Eyeliner in Purple - 2.5g

I haven't tried a gel eyeliner before, but I have wanted too for a while and so I was pleased to see this. I don't normally wear purple eye makeup but I think getting products in Birchboxes and Glossyboxes is a perfect chance to try things you wouldn't normally, so I will definitely try this and think it will be a lovely colour in autumn and winter. It comes with a brush in the end, which I really liked. This is the only full size product in this month's box and it is always nice to get a full size product. 

Weleda Skin Food - 10ml

This is a deeply nourishing moisturiser for dry and rough skin. I haven't tried this before but the size is a perfect size to keep in my handbag, and a product like this always comes in handy, so I am sure I will use it. 

The Chia Co Chia Shots - White - 8g

I hadn't heard of this before and didn't know what it was until I read about it. It is superfood that is 'packed with health-boosting omega 3, protein and more' and 'Chia is the richest plant based source of Omega 3, fibre and protein'. There is a recipe on the card attached to this sample and also some recipes in the Birchbox Magazine, and it says it can just be added to cereal, porridge, yogurt or smoothies, so I will definitely use this to try it, but not sure how yet.

Overall I am pleased with what I got in my July Birchbox, although I would like to see some bigger products in the next box I get. 

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 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

Soap & Glory Smoothie Star Deep Moisture Body Milk

Hello Lovelies,

Woo hoo, it’s finally Friday!

I have had a lot going on the last week or so and have been neglecting my Blog a bit. So to get back into it, I decided to write about something I have been loving recently and have been using lots over the last few weeks and that is Soap and Glory’s Smoothie Star Deep Moisture Body Milk. I am a big fan of Soap and Glory, and hadn't tried this until recently, but as soon as I did I wished I had tried it before.

The first thing you can’t help but notice about this is the smell, it doesn't have the classic Soap and Glory fragrance, but it smells absolutely gorgeous. Soap and Glory describe this as having a ‘almond, oat and brown sugar scent’ and I can’t think of a better way of describing it than that, other than adding it almost smells good enough to eat! It has a lovely texture that applies easily to your skin and absorbs quickly. I normally apply it before I go to bed and in the morning my skin feels really soft and smells lovely too.

I used this a lot a few weeks ago when I got quite sun burnt and applied it in the morning and at night and my sunburn turned into a tan and didn't peel at all, which just gave me another reason to love this.

I also really like that the bottle has a pump, making it really easy to use and when your hands already have moisturiser on and are slippery you don’t cover the bottle in moisturiser when you need some more.  

I’d love to hear if you have tried this what you think of it and if you haven’t then I would recommend trying it.

Thanks for reading :)

Hope you all have a lovely weekend :)

Nyss x

Premae Harmony Moisturising Creme Balm

Hello Lovelies,

I have been really busy lately and so haven’t been able to post as much as I would like to. Anyway today I want to share with you something that I have been really enjoying using recently and that is Premae's
Harmony Moisturising Creme Balm.

I received this in my May Glossybox and until I did, I hadn't heard of Premae. I have combination/oily skin and find that if I use a moisturiser that isn’t for combination/oily skin it just leaves my skin feeling more oily, so I am always on the lookout for a good moisturiser. This is designed for combination skin and Premae state that it contains 'antiseptic and anti-inflammatory Lemongrass Oil which soothe breakouts and reduce excess oil in the skin', and I was excited to try it.

It feels really light when applied and soaks into my skin straight away, leaving my skin feeling mattified and not oily or wet like some moisturisers do. It also helps keep my skin shine free and leaves it feeling less oily. When I use this it seems like a little goes a long way and so I don't need to apply much, so I think this little pot while last me a few weeks.

After trying this I definitely want to try some other things from Premae :) 

I'd love to hear if you have tried this and what you think of it. Or if you have the same skin type as me and have a moisturiser you love using I'd love to hear about it. 

Thanks for reading :)

Nyss x