Cherry Link Love for #BBloggers - Holy Grail Products!

How do, lovely ladies? It's time once more for some #CherryLinkLove. 

This week we're talking Holy Grail products, products you've used that you'll buy and use for as long as they make it and even long after if you can source it on eBay.

I'll kick it off with my post about HG products but I'm DYING to see what's floating your beauty loving boats. 

Guidelines for Cherry Link Love 

• Link up one of your posts in your comment that best suits the topic
• Be sure to leave your CherrySue follower ID so that I can backlink
• Take a mo to check out the other lovely links
• Share the love, by commenting on posts or tweeting fellow bloggers (we all know how great it feels to get a supportive comment.)
• Pay it forward: By Rt'ing links or just spreading the #CherryLinkLove word

Since we've started this little love fest the blog's monthly views have topped 55,000 hits and continue to grow - with the most recent Cherry Link Love post receiving 10,768 hits (so far). I'd love to know if you're seeing a jump in your views but also and more importantly if you've found some great new blogs to follow. 

Looking forward to seeing your comments! 

I Haz a Problem...

I used a bag yesterday that's been hanging on the banisters for the last week or so. It's a small enough bag, a brown leather satchel but it's one that's in constant rotation.

Half way through the day I reached in to pull out my lippie from the back pocket that I'd thrown in before I left the house. (Clarins Rouge Prodige in Fig)(My HG lippie that goes everywhere with me).

As I rummaged I pulled out balm after gloss after polish and thought, just for the lolz, I should check what I'm actually carting about in my secondary bag. There was...

• 5 polishes & a top coat
• 2 perfumes: Emporio & Sensuous
• Murine Eyedrops 
• 2 lipsticks: Clarins Fig & Catrice Lobster Love
• 1 Revlon Lip Butter: Pink Truffle
• 3 Balms
• 3 Glosses
• Sleek Rose Gold Blush
• Avon Supershock liner in Blackberry
• Benefit Erase Paste
• Sephora Stop the Spot
• Maybelline Color Tattoo Eternal Gold

By any accounts this is excessive, right? So how about you make me feel a little better, what are you lugging around in your mála right now? Don't think about it just look and lemme know!

PS I'm not admitting it out loud 

but some (most) of these are back ups 

of products in my main bag. 

I ought to be ashamed. Truly. 

HG Polish Basecoat - Mavala Super Base

I have to admit I've been seeing these little bottles in chemists and shops probably forever. Turns out there's a reason for that, they've been on sale here since 1959! (I haven't been looking that long). Not sure why but I've never picked one up. For someone with a polish collection like mine that's an accomplishment, believe me.

While in McCabes Chemists though I picked this up on a whim, I'd run out of Seche Base Coat and I'm not a big fan of polish without a base. My nail beds are sponges. Fact. 

Super Base goes on like a dream and dries, pretty much instantly and slightly shiny (You wouldn't wear this on it's own). The magic happens when you apply your colour though, the polish practically sticks to the base. You may need one or two strokes more to cover your nail but, once its on, that polish isn't going anywhere.

Exhibit A M'Lud: I applied OPI's Tickle my Francey and a topcoat of Hairspray Holo glitter on Christmas Eve. The following picture was taken yesterday: NINE DAYS LATER!

Not one chip, crack or peel!

That's pretty unbelievable, right? Not just that I managed to keep my nails the one colour for 9 days (lazy ho ho ho) but that it lasted so well. 

This is genuinely my new HG basecoat. I loves it. Lots. I picked it up for €5.79 but there's a special on Debenham's at the moment that might tickle your fancy should you wish to give it a shot. 

Have you tried Mavala polishes before? I'll deffny be picking up a few more so would love a recommendation... or two.

MAC Face & Body - My New HG Foundation

Having read a recent post on THE Irish Beauty Blog Beaut.ie about renowned make up artists recommendations for photo fabulous foundations it was clear that MAC was topping a lot of lists.

Knowing I was due to graduate this week and the cameras would be flashing it was time for action. I have been using and loving Tolereine Teint for the past few months but it's not the best you can get for photos.

Using a BT's giftcard I booked myself in for a make up demo on the morning of graduation to try it out. At a cost of €40, redeemable against MAC products it was money well spent. David did a fantastic job in next to no time, which even garnered compliments from my youngest teen (He doesn't do compliments, certainly not make up compliments). And I picked up Face & Body for €36 in N2, which matches my skin tone perfectly.

Looking slightly yellow on the skin

But blending in beautifully

Here's what MAC have to say: 'A water-based, water-resistant foundation that provides long-lasting, natural coverage for face and/or body. Ideal for all skin types. Face and Body Foundation provides sheer, natural looking coverage in an easy to blend, water-resistant formula. The long-lasting formula is available in a wide range of colours and contains several emollients to help moisturize and condition the skin. It delivers professional looking results that meet the exacting standards of beauty photography and is ideal for perfecting the face and body.'


I've been using this every day this week and am completely in love. It can be worn sheer but builds fantastically well when more coverage is needed. I can see why Face & Body is getting the much deserved adoration. At €36, it's not cheap but that's for a 120ml bottle that can be used, funnily enough, on your face or body. Price per use is actually outstanding value. Especially when it works.

I can't recommend highly enough booking a demonstration with BT's, you can be sure you'll get your perfect shade and a expertly made up face to boot! (figuratively speaking).

Are you a Face & Body fan? Tempted to try?

Kiehl's - Loving Their Work!

The washbag of loveliness featured above was a gift from Dan (obviously) as an apology for shoddy service form UPS (yup, obvious too).

Can I just start by saying that I love Kiehl's? I love their ethos, their products (mostly), their samples and now, more than ever, their Customer Service. 
BackStory
My last order with Kiehls.co.uk was taking a little longer than expected when I got a strange text. From a 'neighbour'. That lives 10 minutes away. Turns out UPS delivered my package to him days before, believing him to live close to me. Why the delivery dude couldn't use my mobile number on the shipping label as this good Samaritan had, I'll never know. Anyway, an inquisitive email to Kiehl's Customer Service to highlight the issue resulted in this little gift. So I thought I'd let you have a looksie at what was included: - 

These 3 creams are scent free and fairly gawjus. I found the Line Reducing Eye Brightening Concentrate to be too sticky though, put me in a mind of when it was the fashion to wear vaseline instead of shadow and everyone went round with their eyelids gummed open. Not for me. The Ultra Facial cream though, I will be buying post haste. It has a light hydrating texture and my face drank it up. 

Fuzzy Pics - everyone's favourite 

The Ultra Facial Oil Free Lotion is meant to visibly reduce excess oil on the skins surface. Meant for normal to oily types. This smelled a little too astringent for my liking, the label full of '-oxyls' and '-anthyns' explained why. To be honest I've been testing this on the eldest teen's fizzog and it's really working. He had oily prone skin (Hullo he's a teen), but I have a feeling this would be too harsh on normal faces. He shall enjoy this sample and no more! It's far from Kiehl's The Ultra Facial Oil Free Lotion we were raised! Seriously though, I think you can get just as good a product for a lot cheaper. 

Citrus Delicious

This Liquid Body Cleanser is exactly that, a body cleanser. Not thick enough to be a gel or foamy enough to be a wash but it does smell delicious. I'm a big fan of the Body Shop's grapefruit offerings so this was a treat. I do prefer my body washes a bit more luxurious (read sudsy) so this has been left in the bathroom for general  washage. My current fave being Kiehl's Soy Milk & Honey Body Polish. There are no words for how lush that body polish is, not even Lush!

Hallelujah, Hallelujah... repeat to fade

At this stage I am considering writing to Mr Kiehl to request commission, the amount of recommendations I give for this product is ridiculous albeit well founded. I have been using this product for about 2 years now and never, ever found a body cream to do what this does. Having suffered from the dread chuck feed arms most of my adult life I have spent a fortune on potions & lotions that this baby eliminated in 10 days. My skin is lighter, brighter and almost completely even toned. With little or no bumps. This is without doubt my HG product to end all HG products & this sample has already been re gifted. 

Beeyooriful

I think of all of the samples this is the one I'll be repurchasing on my next order. This Ultra Facial Cleanser, smells slightly medicinal but is formulated with a sugar derived glycoside, dont'cha know. It's thick, viscous and leaves your mush squeaky, squeaky clean without stripping any natural oils. I used this before reapplying my gradual facial tanner (Xen Tan) and the difference it made for the following 2 days was fantastic. Get into my number one slot for cleansers immediately!

So there we have it, some good, some meh and one or two 'Oh Yeshs'. The very fact I had the opportunity, Thanks to Dan, to do this post shows why I reckon Kiehl's Customer Service Team are second to none.

I pay €52 for the 500ml pump of Creme de Corps, its certainly not cheap but considering the money I’ve shelled out over the years I’d pay this every time, gladly & do. I believe when it comes to skincare you get what you pay for.

Kiehl’s.co.uk no longer ship to Ireland (I hope not because of UPS effing up) but have a Wicklow St Store in Dublin that's lovely for a wander round or you can order over the phone. They're hugely generous with samples if you let them know what you're interested in before shelling out. Always a bonus.

Anything here tempt you lovelies?