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 February 'Be Mine' Glossybox

Hello Lovelies,

I received my February Glossybox last week and after the disappointing January box I was hoping this month’s would be better and it was! In fact it was probably one of the best Glossyboxes I have received recently. Earlier this month I received an email and survey from Glossybox and it seems they have listened to the feedback they received about the January box and made an effort with this month’s box. Glossybox chose some lovely products for this month's box and I was really impressed they included three full size products and an extra little treat!

The theme for this month’s Glossybox is 'Be Mine’ and the actual box is a special Valentines Day Box. I think it is a nice touch when the boxes are different to the usual pink ones.

Here is what I got this month…..

Ciaté London Paint Pot in Red Hot Chili – 13.5ml

I love Ciaté Paint Pots and this is a gorgeous bright red colour, that will be perfect for spring/summer, so I was really pleased when I saw this included in my Glossybox.

NV Chunky Lip Crayon in Sugar Rush – 4g

I hadn't heard of this Brand before, but I love products like this and this Lip Crayon is a lovely shimmery bright baby pink colour. I think this will be really nice for spring time and I'm looking forward to trying it.

Giovanni Eco Chic Cosmetics - 2x 4.4ml and 1 x 7.4ml

Giovanni Eco Chic is a natural haircare brand and I received a sachet of Ultra-Moist Leave-In Conditioning & Styling Elixir, a sachet of Ultra-Moist Super Potion Anti Frizz Binding Serum and a sachet of Ultra-Sleek Hair & Body Super Potion. I haven't tried any products from this Brand before and I am looking forward to giving these a try. 

Nougat London Sparkling Body Shimmer - 100ml

This is a body lotion with a hint of shimmer that smells gorgeous. I wouldn't usually use a product like this, but I think it might look nice in the summer when I have a bit of a tan and it smells really nice, so I will try it.

Maybelline New York Big Eyes Mascara - 4.7ml and 5ml

This mascara has a double brush, one for your top lashes and a smaller one for your bottom lashes, which help you create ‘an all-around eye-opening effect’. I was really excited to see this included in my Glossybox, because I was going to buy this anyway.

As an extra treat for Valentine’s Day Glossybox included a Lindt Lindor Treat Bar, which I thought was a really nice little extra.

Overall I am really really pleased with what I received this month and think Glossybox have definitely turned things around since last month’s box and I hope next month’s box is just as good.

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

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

An Estée Lauder Evening

Hello Lovelies,

Today I wanted to tell you about an Estée Lauder Evening I was lucky enough to go to recently at the Estée Lauder Counter in my local Boots. Jenna, the Manager of the Counter is someone I went to school with and she invited me to come along.

It was at 6 o’clock in the evening and Boots was only open for those attending the Estée Lauder Event. When we went in, there were drinks and gorgeous little cupcakes for everyone and we were all given a raffle ticket. There were seats set up in front of the Estée Lauder Counter and once we had got a drink we all took a seat and there was a little gift waiting on everyone’s seat for them.

Here is what was inside my gift.....

I got a full size Double Wear Zero-Smudge Lengthening Mascara in the shade 02 Brown. I do not usually use brown mascara, but am looking forward to trying this for when I want a more natural look. Everyone got a different full size product and I think that was a really lovely touch, although I did feel a little envious of the lady next to me who got a Double Wear Stay-In-Place Flawless Wear Concealer, because I have been wanting to try this. I also got samples of Idealist Even Skintone Illuminator, Advanced Night Repair, Revitalizing Supreme Global Anti-Aging Creme and Modern Muse Eau de Parfum, which smells gorgeous. 

Once everyone had sat down Jenna gave an introduction to the evening and then did a demonstration of some skincare products, followed with a natural make up look. I found this really interesting and the model Jenna used for this looked lovely afterwards. She used one of the new Lip Lacquers in Vinyl Rose, which was probably my favourite product that she demonstrated. I learnt whilst I was there that Estée Lauder’s Lip Lacquers have the same colour pay off as a lipstick, but are also glossy and when I tried this it didn't feel sticky like some glosses do and it also lasted really well. This is definitely something I would recommend you try if you like glossy lips and want something that will last.

Following the demonstration Jenna colour matched everyone for a foundation sample and I chose a sample of Double Wear Light Foundation and the shade I was matched to was shade 2.0. I haven’t tried this yet, but am really looking forward to trying it. :)

We were then given the chance to browse the Estée Lauder products, ask any questions we had, try some products and have a chat to the other people that were there. A lovely lady helping Jenna for the night painted my nails using Estée Lauder Pure Color Nail Lacquer in So Vain, which was a gorgeous nude brown colour and I am really tempted to treat myself to it.

I really enjoyed this event and hope there are more like it in the future. 

Thanks for reading :)

Nyss x

My June Favourites

Hello Lovelies,

I love reading what other people’s favourite products are and think it’s a good way of discovering products you may not have tried, so today I am going to share with you the beauty products I loved using in June.

Soap & Glory Sugar Crush Body Scrub – I absolutely love the smell of this, it smells like sweet lime and it leaves your skin feeling smooth and moisturised. I use this a couple of times a week and it makes my skin feel softer and I think also look brighter. I also always use this before shaving and it definitely makes my legs smoother than if I shaved without using it first.

L'Oreal Skin Perfection 3 in 1 Micellar Solution – I love how when you use this it genuinely feels like you are just using water on your skin. I use it with a cotton wool pads to remove my eye makeup and if you hold the pad on your eyes for a few seconds it removes your eye makeup without having to rub at your eyes and it leaves your eyes and skin feeling refreshed. I don’t have much of this left, but I will definitely be repurchasing it.

Superdrug Naturally Radiant Brightening Hot Cloth Cleanser – everytime I use this it leaves my skin feeling really clean and looking brighter and I recently reviewed it here. There are some other things in the range I want to try, but as I don’t really need them I am waiting for them to be on offer again.

MUA Undress Me Too Palette – I read lots of positive reviews about this before I bought it and I have to agree with them. The eyeshadows are quite pigmented and I love all the colours. I sometimes use just one colour and sometimes use two or three together, which I think makes this Palette really versatile. I used this a lot in June and I’m sure I will continue to. It doesn’t always last all day without an eyeshadow primer or base but for only £4 I think it’s really good value.

Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Cream Skin Protectant – I received this in my March Glossybox and wasn’t quite sure how I would use it, because although it says it is a multi-tasker, it has the texture of a thick lip balm and so I don’t think there are many things I would use this for. However I do use this on my lips and it leaves them really soft and moistured. I had really dry lips at the start of June and this really helped and I have been using it pretty much most days since.

Mac Mineralize Skinfinish in Soft and Gentle – this is probably my favourite powder highlighter. I love how subtle it can be if you only apply a little, which I think makes it perfect to wear everyday. I have loved this since I got it, but when we had some sun at the start of June I managed to tan a little and have been using this a lot since, because I think it looks lovely when I have a bit of colour, especially when its sunny too.

Maybelline’s Mega Plush Mascara in Black – my favourite mascaras for a long time have been Maybelline’s Falsies Mascaras, but during a bblogger chat someone recommended this to me and at the time it was on offer in Tesco for only £6, so I thought I would give it a try. It has a gel-mousse formula which claims to leave your eyelashes feeling softer and not hard like other mascaras do and I have to say that it does. It gives my eyelashes extra volume and length and it hardly feels like you are wearing any mascara. I will definitely be repurchasing this when it runs out.

Have you tried any of these?

Thanks for reading :)

Nyss x

My June Glossybox

Hello Lovelies,

I always am excited when my Glossbox arrives and can't wait to see what is inside. I received my June Glossybox on Saturday and I love reading about what other people receive in theirs so I thought I would share with you what I got. This theme for this month's Glossybox was Summer Looks and the leaflet you get in the box states that 'this month's products were selected to update your make-up bag with summer staples.' 

In my Glossybox this month I got.....

Monu Professional Skincare Hand and Nail Cream - 50ml

I never get that excited about hand creams, although I do try and use them at least at night, and this smells really nice, so I will definitely use this. It says it is non-greasy so I really hoping it is one that absorbs quickly as I don't like ones that leave your hands greasy so you feel like you can't touch anything. 

Gosh Growth Mascara - 10ml

I haven't tried any Gosh Mascaras and am always on the look out for an amazing mascara and this one is described as helping your lashes to grow as well as adding volume and length and so I am really looking forward to trying this.

Organic Surge Shine Boost Conditioner - 200ml

I hadn't heard of this Brand before, but a shine boosting conditioner is always a good thing, so I will give it a try. It would have been nice if I had received the Shampoo as well so I could try them together. 

Figs & Rouge Cherry Blossom Lip Balm - 12.5ml

This was the product that caught my eye first, because the packaging is just gorgeous and I tried this straight away. It felt really nice when applied and smells lovely. It has a pink tint to it, which I loved. This is described as a multi-tasking product that can be used on cuticles, elbows, knees and even to tame eyebrows, but I don't know if I would use it for anything other than a lip balm because it is tinted. 

Me Me Me Cosmetics Long Lasting Nail Gloss - 12ml

I love trying different nail polishes and so am always pleased to get a nail polish in my Glossybox. The shade I got is 57 Elegant and I am not quite sure how to describe it other than a kind of mix between silver and gold. I haven't tried a Me Me Me Cosmetics nail polish before and so am not sure how well they apply or last, but I quite like this colour, so will try it. 

Overall I am really pleased with what I got this month and was really impressed that all my products are full size ones :)

If you are interested in trying a Glossybox, you can find out more here: Glossybox

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

A Little Beauty Haul

Hello Lovelies,

Today I have a little haul post for you. I love reading these sorts of posts and I ended up getting a few beauty bits at the weekend, so I thought I would share with you what I got.

A friend of mine is getting married in August and decided she wanted to do her own makeup for her wedding, so on Saturday we went shopping for products for her to use to create her wedding day look. I hadn’t planned on getting anything for myself, but I ended up treating myself to a few bits :) We also came home with a few samples and I love nothing more than getting a lovely little sample to try.

Here is what I bought......

Debenhams had 10% off beauty and from there I got the Urban Decay De-Slick Makeup Setting Spray. This is 30ml and was only £9, so with 10% off was only £8.10, which I thought was a bargain. I have seen a couple of reviews of this and was intrigued to try it. The lady on the Urban Decay Counter convinced us this works really well at keeping your makeup in place all day and we both bought one of these.

I also got from Debenhams the Benefit Skincare set, which includes Foamingly Clean Facial Wash (8.9g), Moisture Prep Toning Lotion (8.9ml), It's Potent! Eye Cream (3g), Total Moisture Facial Cream (8.9g), Triple Performing Facial Emulsion (8.9ml) and Refined Finish Facial Polish (8.9g). This was £12.50, so with the 10% off it was only £11.25. I am really enjoying trying different skincare products at the moment and haven’t tried any of Benefit’s, so I thought this would be a good way to try them. 

I got the Benefit Porefessional from House of Fraser. I love this product and still have some left, but a lovely lady on the Estée Lauder Counter in House of Fraser gave me a £10 off voucher to be used against one of ten selected products and one of them was Porefessional, which meant I got this for only £14.50, so I couldn't resist getting it.

I love Lush products and we spent a while browsing Lush and as always there were so many things I wanted to get. I resisted though and just got a Creamy Candy Bubble Bar and a Butterball Bath Bomb. I have used both of these before and really like them, especially the smell of the Creamy Candy Bubble Bar.

My friend wanted to get a couple of MUA’s Power Pouts and because Superdrug currently have an offer of 3 for 2 across cosmetics, she got me a Power Pout in Runway, which is the colour I wanted to try next. I already love MUA’s Power Pouts and red lip products, so I am sure I will love this.

Here are the samples I got......

We were looking for a foundation for my friend to use on her wedding day and tried a few different one. I came home with a sample of MAC Matchmaster Foundation in shade 1.5, Benefit Hello Flawless Oxygen Wow Brightening Makeup in shade Believe in Me - Ivory and and Estée Lauder Double Wear in shade Ecru. The ladies on these counters were so lovely and helpful. I haven’t tried any of these samples properly yet, but from when I was colour matched to them, I think my favourite one will be the Mac one.

I got the Badgal Lash Mascara from the lovely lady on the Benefit Counter when I bought Porefessional. I have tried this before and it’s not my favourite mascara but I love little mascaras like this as they are perfect to keep in your handbag.

When I bought the Benefit Skincare Set the lovely lady at the Benefit Counter in Debenhams gave me a little sample of Porefessional and Triple Performing Facial Emulsion to try. 

If you have tried any of these, I’d love to know what you thought of them.

Thanks for reading

Nyss x

My May Glossybox

Hello Lovelies,

I love seeing what other people get in their Glossyboxes and my May Glossybox arrived yesterday, so I thought I would share with you what was in mine. After seeing Glossybox’s facebook updates and tweets about this month being their 2nd Birthday, I was really looking forward to seeing what would be in my Glossybox this month. I thought as it was their 2nd Birthday the box might have been a different design to their normal ones, but it wasn't.

 

When I open a Glossybox I always look at what has been included before reading about them and initially this Month I wasn’t that impressed. The products looked quite small and I didn’t know what a couple of them were, but after reading about them my opinion changed and I am really pleased with what I got and I can’t wait to try them.

In my Glossybox this month I got:

Givenchy Noir Couture Mascara – 1.5g

This is quite a small sample size, but I am really excited to try this because it is described as creating ‘instant volume, length and curl’.

Premae Harmony Balm – 10ml

I hadn't heard of this before and wasn't sure what it was, but after reading the description of it I can’t wait to try it. I have combination skin and this is a skin protector and primer that also reduces excess oil and sounds just like the sort of product I would like to use.

Beautiful Movements Cosmetics Prime & Create Mixing Medium – 2.5g

I also hadn't heard of this before. It is a clear gel that can be mixed with powder blushes, bronzers and eye shadows so they can be applied as creams/liquids. I haven’t tried anything like this before, so am looking forward to seeing how well it works.

Caudalie Divine Oil – 15ml

I don’t really use dry oils, because I like to use products that absorb really quickly and the dry oils I have tried in the past haven't done that. This is describes as being ‘immediately absorbed into the skin’, so I will give it a try. It smells really lovely, so I hope I like using it.

Nails Inc Nail Polish in Portobello - 4ml

I have quite a few Nails Inc Nail Polishes and was excited to see this in the box, it is a gorgeous colour that will be lovely for Summer and I will definitely use this. It is a small size, but I think that is quite useful if you wanted to take it on holiday with you.

Glossybox Mini Nail Files

These are the perfect size to put in your handbag and were a nice little extra this month.

Overall I am really pleased with what I got this month :)

If you are interested in trying a Glossybox, you can find out more here: Glossybox

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

My First Haul Post

Yesterday I went to London for my Aunty's Birthday Lunch and on the way back we stopped at the Westfield Shopping Centre in Stratford. I had never been there before and loved it, there are so many nice shops and I will definitely be going back but next time for a day rather than just for couple of hours! I hadn't intended to do any shopping, but I ended up with a few little bits. :) I love reading other people's haul posts so thought I would share with you what I bought. 

I have been wanting to try the Sleek Rose Gold Blush for a while after reading reviews comparing it to the NARS Orgasm Blush, but it has been sold out at the Superdrugs near me. So when I spotted a Superdrug as we came out of the Tube Station, I popped in to see if they had it in stock and they did :) It's such a beautiful colour and I love the sparkle in it. I haven't tried it yet but can't wait to! It's a really good price at £4.49 and after looking at the other colours yesterday I think I will have to try the Sunrise one next.

In Superdrug I also picked up my favourite mascara - Maybelline Volum' Express The Falsies Black Drama Mascara. I absolutely love this and it has been my go to drugstore mascara for a while. It's £7.99 which I think is really good value and I love how you it gives loads of volume especially when you apply a couple of coats. I have tried the other mascaras in The Falsies range and love them all, but I tend to go for this one, because it comes in 'blackest black'. I also think the packaging is really cute, with the lace print on the lid. 

In Westfield, I spotted a shop I hadn't seen before called Beauty Base. It sells fragrances, skincare products and cosmetics  As I got to the back of the shop I noticed a whole aisle of budget price cosmetics and was instantly drawn to the huge range of L.A. Colors Nail Polishes at only 99p each! There was every colour you could imagine and being so cheap I had to get some. They contain nail hardeners too, which is great for me, as my nails tend to break easily. I spent a while looking through the colours and picked the 4 below.  

L.A. Colors Nail Lacquer in Antique Burgundy. 

L.A. Colors Color Craze Nail Polish in Cocktail. 

L.A. Colors Color Craze Nail Polish in Mega Watt. I love this nude colour. 

L.A. Colors Color Craze Nail Polish in Aztec Orange.  

All the ones I picked are shimmery, but I think they did also have colours that weren't shimmery or glittery. I am looking forward to trying these and hope they are as nice when applied as they look in the bottles. If you have tried these let me know what you think of them.

I also went to Primark and picked up these cute nail wraps that were reduced to 50p! I have used nails wraps before but don't think I applied them properly because they didn't seem to stay on very well, but I thought for 50p I could try them again and if they didn't last long I wouldn't have wasted much money.

From Primark I also bought this cute white wooden bird for only £1.50! It has a white ribbon loop so it can be hung up. I am moving house in about a month (hopefully) and so have been collecting little house bits and pieces and thought I would be able to find somewhere for this to go :)

Thank you for reading :) 

I would love to hear if you have tried any of these before and what you thought of them :)

Nyss x