2020 Archives - Nina Louise

Hey Everyone,

I hope the New Year is treating you well so far. I’m stunned that we’re already halfway through the month? How did that happen? I thought January was supposed to go by slowly! Either way, it’s time for another Glossybox review and I’m so excited to share this month’s goodies with you. I’ve included some information about what Glossybox actually is, how much it costs and all that jazz below. If you already know all of this, feel free to carry on scrolling!

About Glossybox:

Glossybox is a UK beauty subscription service that sends beautifully wrapped boxes containing 5 surprise beauty products. Every box will feature brand new products as well as some cult favourites. Glossybox is fantastic for being able to discover and find out more about new brand and products. There are also lots of benefits from being a member of the Glossyboz community. For example, by participating in suverys and referring friends, subscribers can earn GLOSSYCREDITS to spend on beauty treats. The Glossybox monthly subscription plans start from £10 and there are 3, 6 and 12 month options to choose from. You can create and edit your beauty profile to ensure that you receive products that are best suited to your skin/hair type and perosnal preferences. The boxes are beautifully packagaed, it’s genuinely like receieving a present in the post.

Sign up to Glossybox here (affiliate link)

This month’s theme is all about ditching those January blues and creating a new and revitalising beauty regime to prepare us for the year ahead! I couldn’t think of a better time of year to discover a handful of new beauty products. I’ve definitely been staying well within my comfort zone when it comes to my current skincare routine. It’s definitely time for a change! January’s box includes five amazing goodies, (four of which are full-size), to help us achieve that dreamy “no-makeup makeup look”.

Bybi – Strawberry Booster – RRP £12

I absolutely love using oils and serums so the Strawberry Booster from Bybi Beauty caught my eye straight away! Made from 100% Cold Pressed Strawberry Seed Oil, this product is the ultimate skin-softener. Rich in antioxidants and omega 3 and 6, it’s perfect for those with dry or flakey skin (especially if the winter weather has been treating you and your face poorly). It’s created from upcycled seeds from the juice industry – what an amazing concept! It smells very subtly of strawberries which is so refreshing in the morning. I was worried it would be greasy but my skin absorbs this stuff in no time at all. It leaves my face feeling SO soft and hydrated, I cannot get enough of it. I will definitely be repurchasing this product. Also a great tip is to add this to your moisturisers, serums or balms for an extra hydration hit!

Basic Beauty – Tweezers – RRP £15.50

Next up, we have some tweezers from Basic Beauty! I have to admit, I definitely don’t need another pair of tweezers but these are just so cute! I love the shape of them as it makes plucking ten times easier! The easy-grip design is great because there’s no way I want to slip up whilst performing brow surgery thank you very much. Also, they’re pink – what’s not to love?

ModelCo – Clear Brow Gel – RRP £14

I flipping love this brand! I religiously use their highlighters so I’m always keen to try anything else that they do. The Clear Brow Gel from ModelCo couldn’t have come at a better time. I’ve literally just run out of my usual go to brow gel so I was really excited to put this to the test! It’s vegan and cruelty-free which is always a bonus. It’s designed to work alongside other brow products or on its own. I personally like to use a pomade so it’s been perfect for setting my brows in place after I’ve filled them in. It doesn’t leave them feeling crispy or rock hard either which is fabulous as I cannot stand that straw-like texture. It’s a yes from me!

Beauty Pro – CBD Oil Infused Mask – RRP £5.95

If you haven’t heard all of the hype for CBD oil products, where have you been because it sounds kinda peaceful there?! The Beauty Pro CBD Oil Infused Sheet Mask leaves skin feeling deeply hydrated and revitalised. It’s the perfect solution for those days where your skin looks and feels like it needs a real boost! Not only does it help to calm and soothe your complexion, but it also reduces the appearance of angry blemishes! It contains Lavender which makes it a great mask to use before bedtime! I will definitely be buying more of these, I absolutely loved it.

Context – Micro-derm Regenerator – RRP £6.50 (Full-Size Worth £27)

I didn’t actually know what this was until I gave the back of the product a good read. The Context Micro-Derm Regenerator is actually both a cleanser and exfoliator in one! It’s removes dead skin cells for a brighter and complexion as well as to protect it using key ingredients such as; macadamia, sunflower and Vitamins A, C and E. I’ve actually really enjoyed giving this a try. My skin feels much softer and it definitely looks brighter and clearer. However, I probably won’t repurchase this as it’s on the pricey side plus I actually have some great cleansers that cost much less. That being said, it’s still a great product and I’m glad that I had the opportunity to test it out.

Nakd Salted Caramel Fruit & Nut Bar

An extra treat was included in the January Glossybox. A delicious Salted Caramel Fruit & Nut Bar from Nakd! I literally ate this as soon as I’d got a photo of it. Self restraint…what’s that? It was delicious though and I will definitely be buying some more for the snack cupboard!

I’m so happy with the January Glossybox edit! It’s been a pretty tough start to the year for me, so receiving this box of goodies really cheered me up. We received four full-size products, a deluxe mini and an extra tasty treat too! I love the way that all of the products work well together, i.e. the tweezers and the brow gel or the oil, mask and cleanser. It’s the perfect self-care package, which I think lots of people need in January.

The total value of the products together, is £53.95, which is slightly less than last month but it’s still great value. It was great to have the opportunity to try out some products that I’d never seen before from some brands that I’d never heard of before. I will be repurchasing a couple of bits too. I flipping loved the oil and the face mask and I need more in stock ASAP! Are you subscribed to any beauty boxes? Let me know in the comments!

Sign up to Glossybox here (affiliate link)

N xxxx

Hey Everyone,

I hope you’re all doing well! Welcome to the first Birchbox review of 2020! This month’s box is actually part of an exciting Birchbox collaboration, so keep reading if you want to see who it’s with! Before I begin, I’ve included some information about what Birchbox actually is, how much it costs and all that jazz below! If you already know all of this, feel free to carry on scrolling!

Read my review of last month’s box here!

*This post contains affiliate links

About Birchbox:

Birchbox is a UK beauty subscription service that sends beauty boxes to their subscribers containing 5 goodies every month. You don’t have to worry about lifelong commitments or contracts. In fact, you can cancel anytime with a monthly subscription – no fuss whatsoever! The monthly subscription costs only £10 per month plus £2.95 P&P! You can edit your beauty profile on their site to ensure you get sent products that are suitable for your skin/hair type and personal preferences. Birchbox is great for discovering new brands and products. I have been subscribed to Birchbox for years and I still look forward to receiving their boxes every month. I’ve gone on to buy lots of the things I’ve been sent because I have loved them so much. Every box you receive is beautifully packaged, some months are designed and inspired by artists and companies. I use some of the boxes to store makeup in too!

Get £5 off your first Birchbox with this link (affiliate link) or just use the code: “Nina Louise” at checkout!

This month’s box is in collaboration with Rochelle Humes! This time we’re celebrating everything that makes us who we are, by embracing all of our flaws and imperfections. So, Rochelle decided to fill our January boxes with goodies that are tailored to our individual wants and needs! I’m not sure how this more personalised method of product selection actually took place, but I like the sound of it! Also, I thought that’s what Birchbox did anyway but either way, I’m keen to see what’s included in my box this month. I absolutely LOVE the design! The use of gold and marble together makes the box look so luxury! I will definitely be reusing this box to store makeup in. Let’s take a look at what’s inside, shall we? RRPs correspond to full-size items at birchbox.co.uk/shop.

The Beauty Crop – Glow Milk in “Pear Pressure” – RRP £15

I seem to have a love-hate relationship with liquid highlighters. They’re either the perfect amount of dewy or they’re crusty and gross, there doesn’t seem to be an in between for me. I was really keen to put the Beauty Crop’s Glow Milk to the test. I abso-freaking-lutely LOVE this stuff. It’s so easy to create that effortless glow from within look, all you need is a couple of drops and voila! One thing that I really love about this product is that it’s very hydrating and doesn’t sit on the skin. It blends so beautifully with my foundation too! The packaging is gorgeous, I love the milk carton idea – so cute! I will definitely be buying another bottle of this.

Laura Geller – Eye Dew Crayon in “Pewter” – RRP £13

In all honesty, I haven’t had the best experience with eye crayons. The main reason being that they often end up sliding all over the place during the day and they crease (hell no). I tend to use eyeshadows or liquid shadows that I can confidently set in place and go about my day. However, I was still willing to give the Eye Dew Crayon from Laura Geller a go! After putting it to the test, I don’t think it’s for me. I blended it out across my lids and it pretty much vanished, I didn’t seem to be able to get much from it in the first place – even alongside a primer too! I noticed that it had started to crease within a couple of hours and I just can’t be having that. It’s such a shame because the colour looked quite pretty but I’m afraid it’s just not for me. That being said, I’ve actually found it to be a great eyeliner for along the lower lash-line!

Greenfrog Botanic – Argan Oil Body Lotion – RRP £9.95

I’m always after products that can keep my skin hydrated and moisturised and the Greenfrog Botanic Argain Oil Body Lotion has just become a new favourite of mine! Honestly, I don’t think I’ve ever owned a moisturiser that smells quite as good as this stuff. I don’t feel sticky or greasy whatsoever after I’ve used it either, which is a big win for me as I absolutely hate that feeling. It’s made from 85% natural ingredients and the bottle itself is fully recyclable! I will be purchasing another bottle of this now that I know it exists – thank you Birchbox!

Skyn ICELAND – Hydro Cool Firming Eye Gels – RRP £25

I nearly always wake up with puffy and irritated eyes in the morning so I love anything that’s designed to cool and soothe that area in particular. I’ve tried some products from Skyn ICELAND before and I’m yet to have a negative experience with them! Their Hydro Cool Firming Eye Gels promise to “de-puff, brighten and counteract crepey skin” within 10 minutes! I can confirm that after using these bad boys, my eyes no longer felt puffy and scratchy, I felt refreshed and ready to go! I think I need a pack of these in my bedside table at all times!

Mélusine – Jade Roller – RRP £15.50

I have wanted to try a facial roller for SO long but I just couldn’t bring myself to spend so much on something that might just turn out to be a pretty little gimmick. I was so excited to receive one in my January Birchbox as it finally gave me the opportunity to try one of these things out! The Mélusine Jade Roller claims to tighten pores and boost radiance (both of which I could do with) whilst also improving the appearance of fine lines and reducing puffiness! I actually like to keep mine in the fridge so that it’s extra cool and refreshing when I use it first thing in the morning. It really preps my skin the day ahead and my makeup applies so much better now! I can’t say I’ve noticed a HUGE difference but it’s only been a week so I’ll be sure to keep you updated.

I’m actually pretty pleased with the January box. The design is gorgeous and the idea behind it is also an important one – especially with how miserable January can be for some (myself included)! It’s nice to be reminded that we’re pretty damn good as we are, imperfections included. Although I wasn’t a huge fan of the eye crayon, I loved all of the other products that I received in my January Birchbox! I was able to try new brands and new products that I’d never heard or seen before which is always good fun. I actually got to put £78.50 worth of products to the test, which is amazing value! Are you subscribed to Birchbox or any other beauty products? What did you think of this box and these products? Let me know in the comments!

Get £5 off your first Birchbox with this link (affiliate link) or just use the code: “Nina Louise” at checkout!

N xxxx