Bobbi Brown Remedies Skin Wrinkle Treatment No 25 ~ Cherry Pick of the Week!

While Bobbi Brown is not a brand I've featured heavily before, it's always been one that's been floating around my makeup drawers. Aside from Charlotte Tilbury's Bronze & Glow, Bobbi's Shimmer Brick is the only luxe highlighter I've ever parted with hard earned cash for. I got to meet the PR Gals this Summer and you better believe I was intrigued by Bobbi Brown Remedies collection. They're targeted solutions for any skin issues, this week's Pick of the Week is the one (of seven) I've been trialling for several weeks now, the new Skin Wrinkle Treatment, No 25. 

The Last Minute Mother's Day Gift Guide for Every Budget

Mother's Day may be fast approaching and pay day may be long gone but no matter your budget, I got you (and your mammy/baby momma/wife). The temptation to pop in an eye wateringly large bottle of gin was almost too much to resist but know this, when all else fails, gin works. Corrina has already shared the top 5 experiences for under €50 to share with do mháthair HERE so I'm rounding that off with some pretty products should you prefer. 

L'occitane Almond Velvet Serum & Balm - Review!

I try not to gush about products here on CherrySue but when one of your all time favourite brands releases a more luxurious version of one of your all time favourite products then you best believe gushing's gonna happen. L'occitane's Almond Velvet Youthful Body Duo are the posher older sisters new to the cult favourite and personal Holy Grail Almond collection and they couldn't be lovelier. 

Three new patents are combined to pack a powerful skincare and anti-aging punch with these body care beauties. Almond proteins from the almond fruit for lifting and toning. Almond buds united with rose buds for skin refinement and almond leaf cells, which can promote synthesis of Collagen and Elastin. This active complex works on five signs of ageing: dryness, lack of firmness, lack of tone, fine lines and irregularities in skintone.

ALMOND VELVET SERUM 100ml - €46

This lightweight, heavenly scented serum is the first of its kind for L'occitane. Pairing the almond active complex (the science bit above) with vitamin C, makes this easily absorbed anti-aging serum an absolute joy to use. Immediately my skin was smoother and with a couple of weeks use the difference is notable. 

I can't attest to a reduction in fine lines as the lines on my boddeh are anything but 'fine' but my skin tone is noticeably brighter. I've been more inclined to wear shorter sleeves as a result and that's always a great thing, especially coming into the warmer/muggier months.
I legitimately never thought I'd use an anti-aging body serum in my lifetime but only last night caught myself holding this weighty bottle to my night light to gauge when I might need another. At €46, it's not cheap for a veritable frippery but I can see myself using this (from the waist up anyway) (I'm weird like that) for the forseeable. 

ALMOND VELVET BALM 200ml - €49

Almond Milk Concentrate is and always has been a HG body product of mine. There have been ructions 'round Casa Cherry way when I find a large shovel hand amount has been gouged from the latest pot, though I don't deny the Gorgebags their luxuries (the spoiled gits). I must have bought those jars back to back for about 8 jars now so when I say that Amande Velvet Balm is Almond 2.0, please know that I don't say that lightly. 

With a more delicately powdered scent than its predecessor, Velvet Balm melts into and comforts the skin like no product I've used before. I've found myself showering just so I can apply it to fresh skin and enjoy that experience all over again. The actives that target the five signs of aging truly are the cherry on top for me, hence the review after just 3 weeks. Of course I'll report back with any breathtaking skin changes but for now it truly is about the experience of this Balm. 

Think of this duo as the posher older sisters of the Almond range, you know the ones that travel the world and give the best pressies? Everyone's favourite kind. While I'll certainly be repurchasing the original Almond Milk Concentrate for the lads (it's a fave of theirs too), Almond Velvet Balm is firmly on the repurchase list for Mama as soon as this jar is devoured.  

Tell us, are you an Almond Collection fan? Reckon you'll give this new duo a trial? 

Tom Ford's Adriano & Giacomo. Pictures, Swatches & Review!

Can we just take a minute? Just inhale deeply and behold the beauty that is Tom Ford lipsticks. I'll readily admit that I have never been swayed by Mr Ford's hella expensive products before but when I saw the Goddess of beauty blogging that is Temptalia swatch the entirety of the Tom Ford Lips & Boys limited edition collection. I knew I'd have to have at least one. That's how Adriano & Giacomo here became the newest boys in my life. 

There's just no getting away from the price with these miniature lippies, with each of the 50 strong wardrobe coming in at a hefty £26 (€33.49) for just 2g of product. TWO GRAMS OF PRODUCT. But this, dear reader, is where any beauty addict worth their salt will tell you, it's an illness. I HAD TO HAVE THEM. 

Of course I spent the two weeks before release on Stephen's Day googling and regoogling swatches. Hmming and hawing about which colours I absolutely, positively couldn't live without and that's how Adriano & Giacomo found their forever home in my stash. 

Before my Selfridge's order even arrived to Parcel Motel, reviews began to filter through the blogging world of disappointment with the product amount. Not with the lipstick itself, because Tom Ford but with the weenchy bullets that arrived for the money dispatched. I began to regret my purchases before these lads even arrived. But then they did. 

The packaging is classic TF black and gold and is surprisingly weighty for its size. Though the bullet weighs in at just 2g, gram per gram these are the same price as their full size counterparts. That news lifted my spirits immediately. Then came swatches, from the shaft of the bullet at first because who wants to ruin that TF embossing? Of course once I'd seen one swipe I wanted more and went for a full swatch each. 

Adriano is a bright coral with orange leanings but just enough pink to make it wearable for me. Completely opaque in one richly saturated swipe, I found it incredibly moisturising and soft for such a long wearing lipstick. I favour this one on evenings out with a subtle matte shadow look and lashings of mascara. It's as brave as I've been with lipstick and I'm loving it. 

Giacomo is a much pinker coral with a extremely subtle golden microshimmer. Again it applies like a dream and wears for hours on end, without the need for retouching or checking it's stayed in place. That doesn't stop me looking at it again and again as I'm wearing it though. It might just be my most perfect colour. 

So the question is thus, are they worth the spend? In my honest opinion? HELL YES. 

I've been carrying both little boys in my mála since they arrived a fortnight ago and I never thought I'd be saying this but I've already got my eye on 3 more, once my freelance sheckles clear (Guillermo, Richard & Alejandro).... (and maybe Cary) Wha? I can't help myself! 

You can pick them up exclusively on Selfridges here but they are limited edition and some colours have already sold out. That sentence is enough to give any beauty fiend sweaty palms right there. 

Tell me, would you part with €33 for 2g of lippie? Even more importantly, if money were NO object, which of the boys would you be buying? I'd love to know!

Clarins Garden Escape - First Look at the Spring 2015 Collection with Swatches!

We may only be a couple of days into the new year but my yearning to shake off the drama of winter beauty and embrace lighter, brighter spring time colours is real. Handy then that Clarins have light and bright down with their upcoming collection, Garden Escape. 

The focus is firmly on pastel shades, with the colour influence taken directly from the spring floral canvas, as the name might suggest. The packaging is second to none, which we've come to expect with the high end brand, with weighty golden palettes that feel like luxury before you ever pop the lid. Let's take a closer look, shall we? 

The Supermodel from Charlotte Tilbury ~ Special Edition

Dublin Twitter was abuzz last week with a visit from the MUA of the moment, Charlotte Tilbury as she jetted into the city to launch her Special Edition 11th Look, The Supermodel. 

Charlotte has cleverly designed her entire product line so that it can be grouped into Looks. You can choose the entire package to achieve the desired look or, like me, you can mix and match to personalize the final effect for yourself. This has taken a lot of the guesswork from make up buying and has helped make beauty counters a lot less daunting than before. 

I've made no secret of my grá for the high end line and you'll see it pop up on my Insta and my kisser more often than not but to say I was enamoured with the lady herself is an understatement. She spoke with more passion for her products than any beauty legend I've met thus far. Down to earth and instantly likeable, I will never read 'Darlings' in any other accent but hers from now on. 

What of the new Look though? 

Inspired by the heavenly supermodels of the 1990's and the trailblazing icons of today’s catwalk, from Linda, Cindy, Claudia, Helena and Naomi, to Kate, Cara, Jourdan, Joan and Miranda. The Supermodel is channeling the legendary makeup of these perfect, glamazon women who understand the power of the ultimate smoky eye paired with a sultry nude lip look.

Special Edition Supermodel Look: €250

As with most of Charlotte's line, the real concentration is on the eyes with this look and the stunning Fallen Angel palette fits the bill perfectly. The ultimate metallic smokey eye palette for the holiday season, the new formula can be used wet or dry to amp up the drama. 

The shades: pale golden pearl, antique silver, velvet black, and molten, metallic bronze can be used separately or together to create a look that can bring you from desk to dancefloor with ease. Ideal for the Christmas party season. 

Fallen Angel: €59The entire look contains: 
-The Supermodel: Luxury Palette in The Fallen Angel
- K.I.S.S.I.N.G Lipstick in Confession
-Lip Lustre in Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds (or L.S.D)
-Cheek to Chic Blush in Sex on Fire
-Rock ‘N’ Kohl Eye Pencil in Bedroom Black
-Lip Cheat Lip Liner in Pillow Talk
-Full Fat Lashes Mascara.

Of course the show stopping way to shop this look is to buy the entire box in one go but €250 is a pretty large chunk of change to spend when the other products are more of a background to the luxurious eye palette. That being said, if you're dropping hints to your significant other about one kick ass gift this year, there's not enough neon signs in the world for me to point at this box. 

If buying for yourself though? Had there been a saving when buying kit and kaboodle I would have chased every one of ye out the door, card in hand. As it stands, I genuinely like every element of the Look but feel that there are other blushes and other glosses from the range that might suit different skin tones better. Half the joy is in the swatching, right? 

You can see the entire Look demonstrated by the lady herself below and make up your own mind as to the must haves and maybe leaves from The Supermodel: 

I'd love to hear your take on it?

Autumnal Nail Faves - Five of The Best

For as long as I've been a beauty lover, I've been a huge polish fan too - maybe longer. While I don't dabble as much in the nail art end of things quite as much as I used to - blame ALL of the work I'm lucky enough to be doing - I still love to paint my talons on the daily. Yes, Summer colours are where my heart lie but there's just something about Autumnal shades that make that seasonal shift a little easier. Wouldn't you agree?

Essie Take It Outside

Essie's Take It Outside from their Fall '14 collection is easily the stand out nude of the year for me. Almost cast like in the bottle, this shade comes to life with purple and pink undertones once the light catches it. The unassuming shade is flattering on all skin tones and has been flattering mine on the regular these past weeks. 

Catrice Metalfusion

Catrice have never not impressed me when it comes to polishes. I can't count the amount of times I've sent pals and readers in the direction of their stands for high quality, cheap as chips polishes to suit all occasions. Metallure is the Autumn/Winter collection (more on that later) and Metalfusion here is the stand out lacquer for me. Opaque in one coat, stunning in two, this pewter foil wears like a polish 5 times it's €2.99 price. 

Essie Partner in Crime with China Glaze BOO-Gie Down

Talk about unassuming, Essie's Partner in Crime had to be the one from the collection that had me least enthused. I mean, it's brown. Straight up, no frills about it, brown. It's only when you paint it on that something magical happens - you realise that actually, you quite like brown. It's a stunning autumnal colour and with the aid of China Glaze's BOO-gie Down from their Halloween '13 collex, you get this gorgeous mani. It's one of my most liked Insta nail pics - who can argue with that?

Bourjois Violine Hypnotique

When it comes to autumn, nothing says seasonal nails quite like a rich burgundy metallic. Think Chanel's Rouge Noir but with a subtle microshimmer that lights up in sunlight. That and lasts a hella lot longer too. Bourjois' Violine Hypnotique has been a standing fave of mine since its introduction and is genuinely one that I look forward to wearing as the weather gets colder. It's also been known to make an appearance on my tootsies all year 'round. 

Nails Inc Porchester Square

The spendiest of the bunch and my second favourite nude, Nails Inc Porchester Square is a doozy. A dream to apply (Nails Inc know their brush shizz) this wears better than any nude I own. Though it's a beaut on its own, I can never help myself but add a little su'him 'su'him. The glitter here is an antique gold from a Claire's Accessories stack that probably cost a fiver for 10. BARG.AIN. That's the thing about autumnal nails, glitter is back in the game - choose your favourite base and go to town with complementing or contrasting colours. The world really is your glittery lobster. 


I could go on and on and Arist-on about favourite polishes but I'll leave my Autumn picks there... for now...

Tell us, what do you like to wear this time of year? If you have NOTD posts, sure the more's the better, pop you link in the comments below and we'll all take a squizz!

First Look: Dr Andrew Weil for Origins - Mega Mushroom Skincare

You remember when I instagrammed that embargoed Origins envelope way back in June? Well, fittingly enough, it was mushroomy goodness that had to be kept in the dark. Dr Weil's mushroomy goodness to be precise and I've been trialling it since then so that I could bring ye a review as soon as the embargo lifted. I'm grand like that. 

Dr Weil for Origins Mega Mushroom Skin Calming Face Mask - €47

Designed for sensitive skin, this Mega Mushroom Skin Calming mask aims to reduce redness, itchiness and flare ups caused by everyday stresses. Regular use promises to build up resilience to outside stressors and pollutants using naturally derived ingredients and a trio of stress busting, anti-oxidant laden mushrooms. 

Based on the teachings of Pysychodermatology, that's internal stress and worry affecting our skin to you and I, the Mega-Mushroom collection is designed with internal and external calm in mind. 

I try very hard not to be one of those people constantly bemoaning their lot, because, quite frankly, who doesn't have a hard time now and again but for the past several weeks this skin calming mask has been working wonders on my stress related breakouts. 

Rich and creamy with a comforting herbal scent, I've been slathering my face twice a week and trying to take ten minutes just to breathe. When my hiatus is up I wipe the excess off with Shiseido cotton pads (I only say the name because you need them in your life) and go about my business. 

It could be the ten minutes of mindfulness, it could be the strong anti-oxidant ingredients or it could be that Origins and Dr Weil are seriously onto something with Psychodermatology but my skin has never felt as calmed in times of stress as it has this past few weeks.  

Origins Mega-Mushroom Skin Relief Eye Serum - €54.50

Formulated with Dr Weil's signature Mega-Mushroom blend (that's Hypsizygus ulmarius, Cordyceps and Reishi Mushrooms with Ginger, Turmeric, Holy Basil and Grape Seed Extract) this comforting, light weight serum absorbs beautifully into the eye area. 

I felt a slight tingle on the first couple of applications but I'm putting that down to the inclusion of ginger in its make up. Rather than reducing puffiness, I've found that this serum brings back a suppleness to my eye area, something sadly lacking when I'm losing sleep. 

The result is a lighter under eye area and less need for brighteners and concealers, now that's a money saving, bag busting win, right? 

There are seven facial creams, lotions and serums in this Dr Weil for Origins edit released this month. I'd urge you to speak nicely to an Origins counter gal (some of the nicest in the business by the by) to nab yourself a sample or two and get to loving the mushroom as much as I do. 

Are you a sensitive skinned gal? Do you hold sway with the notion that our skin is affected by our mindset? 

Lemme know!