A Roller Lash Dupe Before Launch?

There are times when being a beauty blogger is hugely advantageous, yep, that's most of the time but never more so than when you can identify a cracking beauty dupe before either even launches. There has been much a social media flutter about the upcoming release of Benefit's newest wonder mascara, Roller Lash and quite rightly so - it does exactly as it says on the tube. How about a mascara that does exactly the same as that but with a price tag of almost twenty eurobux less? Truthfully, Maybelline have smashed it with Sensational. 

Both brushes are curved and while Benefit have patented hooks, Maybelline has 10 layers of lash grabbing, fan effect bristles. Both formulations are inky black, wet on application but layer well and curl beautifully. Both last the entire day without flaking either. 

I've been trialling both for weeks now & truthfully I'm reaching for Maybelline more. Sensational is every bristle as good, if not better than Roller Lash for an incredible €7.99! That's just good beauty maths!

Have you tried either? Thoughts?

Where to Stay in Dublin ~ Our Love for the Clyde Court Hotel!

Having stayed in many a hotel over island of Ireland & taken lots of photos during each stay, I thought giving you a quick no nonsense lowdown on them might be of some help. 

We’ve all been there, wanting a hotel near to a particular area, good price with nice rooms, comfy beds, not forgetting a decent breakfast. But the nightmare starts when you get caught up in the flamboyance of the PR spiel, the polar opposite Trip Advisor reviews, the pop up deals that seem too good to be true - when all you really want to know is have they a pool or is it paid parking? Or how far really is that 10 minute leisurely stroll to the City centre? 

Sometimes you'll find all this info directly on the hotels site but it’s trying to find which hotel sites to look at that’ll make you go cross eyed! I'm hoping to uncross your eyes.. one eye at a time. 

First up I’ll tell you about one of our overnights in the Clyde Court Hotel (formerly the Berkeley Court Hotel), I genuinely like this Dublin hotel, that’s why we’ve stayed 3 times in the last 18 months alone. Room rates start at €109 per room per night. 

In December we had a festive visit to Dublin with the children & chose to stay at the Clyde Court as, even though they don’t have a pool, they boast a great location. It’s just a short walk to the dart station or a 15 minute walk to Grafton Street.

It doesn't look much from outside but it's beautiful inside, earning a luxury 4* status. We stayed in the very spacious room number 326 which is to the side of the hotel and has a spectacular view of the Aviva stadium.

The room consisted of a walk in wardrobe complete with fluffy robes, king size bed, two single beds, a large seating area with a sofa bed & two over sized armchairs.

On site parking can be quite expensive at €10.50 per day, my best advice is to try to get one of the few on street parking spots which are generally free after 7pm.

We stayed on a night that there was a match being played at the nearby Aviva stadium and we didn’t hear any noise in our room from the thousands of fans passing by, nor from the hundreds of fans stopping in for a celebratory drink in the lobby. That's no mean feat!

Breakfast consists of an array of fresh fruit, breads, preserves & of course a full Irish breakfast. The staff really are wonderful especially in the restaurant. One lady was so lovely to our children, she even brought them chocolate muffins, it really made their day and mine. That attention to detail and personal service is just one of the many reasons we return again & again.

Do you have a favourite hotel you return to time & again?

Monday's Moments - 09/02/15

In a week of off the charts stats, pinch myself events & meetings and compliments on my beauty photography from Goddess, Marian Keyes, it was slightly difficult to pick out 5 Moments that rose above all others to chase away my Monday blues. I did though - 

1. Getting an Upgrade to 240mg UPC Broadband 

by Simply Asking...

2. A Fabulous Comment From Sharon 

(Behind Green Eyes) on This Post 

That Explains Our Facebook Traffic Spikes!

3. We Cruelly Send Each Other Pics of Sunshine Hols When We Have an Upcoming Holiday in Work - A Pal Saved One Mail That Read 'Me, Next Month' & Sent it Back This Week with 'You, Last Month'!

4. Uncontrollably Laughing Like a Demented Sea Lion At @Makeup_Orlaith at an Event!

5. Managing to Give Aaron the New Hair 

He Really Wanted  (Pic HERE)!

So c'mom, what's making your Monday suck less than you thought? 

Hmm?

The Gambler - Movie Review

Who's In It?

Mark Wahlberg, Michael Kenneth Williams and John Goodman


What's It About?

Marky-Mark is a gambling man with a huge love for losing everything he gets, until his debt is breathing down his neck and must pay off 3 different crime bosses in a week.

Any Good? 

For some reason, this film felt like a cheap knock-off of something better in every aspect, even the soundtrack. Boasting the likes of wannabe-David Bowie, M83 (wannabe MGMT - be honest) and wannabe-Dean Martin sounds, I was less than impressed.

For some reason there was introduction of a lot of unnecessary characters too - while totally important to the plot they still didn't need to be given the amount of explaining they did and this just came off as padding to make the film longer than an hour and a half for me. One brilliant character for me was Frank the crime boss, he came off as totally menacing in a Jabba the Hutt way - which is why I assume they made John Goodman put on so much weight.

John Feelsgoodman.jpg as Frank 

For it's bad script and host of distracting side characters, the mains did their job pretty well. I love John Goodman in everything, which may make this stilted, but he delivered his flowery prose-like lines as gruff as he could, complete with a neck wobble. Michael Kenneth Williams was kinda awesome (he always is), but for some reason he was playing a "chilled" crime lord - one that prefers to say things like "come on man" than "I'm going to murder this ****".

While both too long and too deep (in a filler kind of way), the film is actually worth the watch for the gambling scenes. I found my mind wandering while sitting watching it but as soon as the cards came out I was watching every movement, thinking about the play I would have made, and generally just being exhausted by the tension of a card flipping or roulette spinning. If there was ever a movie to have on while you browse the internet, this would be - it for me.

Rating:  

Things That Rustle My Jimmies

We'll take it as read that posts not publishing on time is an eternal jimmie rustler, yeah? Yeah!

This weeks rustlings have included but are not limited to: 

1. Emails Looking for Favours that 

Don't Even Use Your Name!

2. Banks Taking 5 Days to Transfer Money that 

I Could've Transferred Instantly Myself

3. Getting to the Till Without 

My Money Off Vouchers!

4. Paying the Television Licence for a Television 

WE DON'T WATCH!

5. Loud Sneezers!

So c'mom, what's been rustling your jimmies this week?