New Year Archives - Nina Louise

BIRCHBOX x ROCHELLE HUMES JANUARY 2020: JUST THE WAY YOU ARE – REVIEW

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

MY GOALS FOR 2019

Hey Everyone,

I hope you’re all doing well! 2018 has been both good and bad for me. I’ve had some difficult things to deal with, as well as celebrating some amazing achievements too. I want to try and make next year the best it can be and I thought I would share my 10 goals for 2019 with you! I’m hoping that because I have an entire blog post dedicated to this, I have no excuse but to stick with it. This time next year, let’s see how many of these goals I have achieved! I’d love to hear what your goals are for the new year, so be sure to comment some at the end of the post!

When I was younger, I used to read all the time! In the car, at school, before bed – I was always reading something. Even though I’m already struggling to manage my time in my final year of University, I definitely need to make time to read more. I regularly read peoples blog posts but it’s just not the same as having a story to get stuck into. I’m going start the year by absolutely rinsing Amazon’s stock of books! Does anyone have any recommendations, the kind that you can’t put down?

ACE MY FINALS

I’m slowly getting closer and closer to my university finals (as well as handing in my dissertation) and with that comes the pressure to do well. I don’t just want to scrape it, I want to be able to say I did my best and that I achieved a grade that I’m really proud of. So far I’ve been working my socks off so I’m hoping that next year when it comes to my exams, I’ll still be feeling this motivated!

RECOGNISING WHAT I DO WELL

I’m sure the saying goes; “you’re your own worst critic” and that’s very true in my case. I’ve always found it much easier to criticise everything that I do, rather than see the good in it. I will always manage to find a “but…” in response to compliments. I’m like this with my writing, with my singing (I used to perform regularly) and with my academic work. I once sung a massive song (Alive by SIA) and I didn’t hit a note the way that I wanted to. The performance was recorded and all I could think of every time I heard it back was how awful it was, even though nobody else could tell. It’s actually quite exhausting as I never seem to let myself off the hook. I aim to celebrate my successes far more next year. Although it’s good to give myself some criticism to improve, I need to make sure that I’m not being too harsh!

REACH 3K ON INSTAGRAM

I barely have time to keep up with social media whilst I’m studying but whenever I manage to dedicate the odd 10 minutes to it here and there, it always pays off. In 2019, I’m going to consider it as a side project, so that I always keep it going in the background – even when I’m really busy! My next goal is to hit 3K and fingers crossed I manage it! Be sure to follow me here!

PUSH MYSELF LITTLE & OFTEN

Last year, I found myself having at least two panic attacks a day and that was almost always because I’d tried to push myself too much. I kept doing things that made me anxious, just to keep everyone else happy or so that I wouldn’t miss out. For example, I sometimes find social things really stressful and at university – that’s hard to get away from! Rather than taking it easy, I kept pushing myself to attend everything which only left me feeling exhausted and deflated. This year, I want to continue to push myself little and often, so that it’s more manageable.

EAT MORE HEALTHY FOOD

Whenever I come home from university, I always lose so much weight and no doubt, it’s down to my eating habits. I share a flat with my boyfriend in central Nottingham, which means we always have access to Deliveroo and UberEats. At home however, the apps don’t work – so you do the math. I need to stop snacking and make sure that I eat proper meals every single day – no excuses! The odd dominos here and there never hurt anyone but I need to restrict myself to one every now and again rather than the nights when I can’t be bothered to cook.

START A YOUTUBE CHANNEL

This has been my dream since I was about 13 years old. I’ve always wanted to be creative and blogging has allowed me to do that, however Youtube has always been what I want to do. After I graduate – I can finally do it! I have the camera and the equipment ready and waiting so all that’s left to do is pick up the camera and go!

HAVE A SORT OUT

One of the things that makes my anxiety worse, is feeling like I’m constantly moving from one place to the next. Since moving to Nottingham and certainly since my Dad moved to Manchester, I feel like I’m constantly packing bags and living out of suitcases. At university, I spend most of my time doing work or in lectures on campus, so it never really feels like home. At my Dad’s, I haven’t had much of a chance to move my things in properly and make my bedroom my own. At mum’s I keep landing and dumping my bags before I have to head off somewhere else – it’s just a mess and I don’t feel at home! You know when you just have piles everywhere and bags that need unpacking? In 2019, once university is done and dusted, I’m diving straight into a (much needed) big sort out!

SUPPORT MORE SMALL BUSINESSES

It’s so easy to stumble into the usual high-street shops or Costa’s but I actually really enjoy discovering new and local places to visit. Since I started working for myself, I’ve realised how much every little helps – especially when it comes to word of mouth. I always like to recommend quirky coffee shops and sweet little gift shops to my friends. In 2019, I want to discover lots more as well as letting others know all about them! I read something the other day, about how Netflix didn’t need to advertise their new film, Birdbox, because we did it all for them on social media! If we can make Netflix some extra cash, think how powerful a like or a share is for a small business.

Join me in December to see how many of these goals I’ve smashed! Let me know what your goals are in the comments too.

N xxxx