Ever Use Your Lip Liners as Eyeliners? Let's Talk!

Let's talk liners! If you've seen my Instagram (Liner Highlight too) you'll know I've an eclectic taste when it comes to pens & pencils - both lip & eye. They can transform any makeup look in minutes, especially if you get creative. My one abiding beauty habit is repurposed lip liners. They give great effect with minimal effort - take Tilbury's Pillow Talk Intense for example (seen above)

Tellybox Beauty Breakdown ft Armani Neo Nude, YSL, Bobbi Brown, Tilbury & More

Instgram has for sure been getting the best of me when it comes to my Tellybox Beauty Breakdown posts, but let's go retro with an old style blog post too, shall we? As ever in these posts I'll break down the beauty products that I wear for TV appearances and let you know if they're worth your hard earned cash or not. In this post we're all about that Base and I have bad news, they're all killer. Fancy a look? 

Totally Tilbury ~ Tellybox Beauty Breakdown ft a Full Face of Charlotte Tilbury

We know by this stage (3 years later) how particular I am when it comes to my makeup for the TV, right? Often the lovely ladies in the Virgin Media makeup room will powder me down or gloss me up, but for the most part, I arrive ready for set. On this occasion I arrived readier than ever as Naomi on the Charlotte Tilbury counter in Brown Thomas had very kindly made up my face. If this visage, while plagued with pneumonia and pleurisy isn't the best ad for the magic of Tilbury products I don't know what is! (It's actually not a Charlotte Tilbury Ad, just so we're clear) 

The Advent of a Little Luxury Every Day with the Launch of L'Occitane's 2017 Advent Calendars!

L'Occitane will always be synonymous with luxury skincare & beauty so what if I told you you could have a little luxury every single day in the run up to Christmas? Well that's exactly what my fave French brand have asked me to do. Enter two of the most covetable beauty advent calendars on the market as L'Occitane release both their classic and luxurious versions this week, you have to see them to believe them. You also have to be quick to get 'em!

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. 

Cherry Pick of the Week: Jo Malone's Exfoliating Shower Gel!

Brand new & badly needed this month are Jo Malone's Exfoliating Shower Washes.

If you're a Jo Malone lover you'll know that everything about this brand is luxe, these fancy ablutions are no different. I've been getting better as using the good stuff, I have long had a very strange habit of saving products or nice things for good but no more. Whether it's a quick shower after a long day in the office or an uninterrupted bath at the weekend, I've been using this and loving it. 

The exfoliating shower wash I was gifted by the brand, Lime Basil & Mandarin is an unmitigated WETSER. Bright, citrussy and ideal for the clement weather we've been enjoying. Soft Jojoba beads, finely crushed orange peel and bamboo stem work brilliantly to gently scrub off SPF & false tan alike & prep your skin for the next round. It's literally a full body primer. 

My skin, aprés shower or bath is softer than it's been for quite a while, which in turn means I'm making a more concerted effort to moisturise too - something I often skip. It's win/win for my skin. 

There's 3 variations of these exfoliating washes available: Tantaslising Lime Basil & Mandarin (my fave by far), Enigmatic Pomegranate Noir (which I can't use as it reminds me of my favourite candle) & Vibrant Geranium and Walnut (of the three, this definitely appeals to both sexes). 

All three are available in The Loop HERE for €28, or on BT counters now 💦

What's your go to shower fave in the summer months? 

Lavish London for Very Little Lolly!

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Before I tell you all about our UK shenanigans I want to take a minute to thank every single one of you that nominated me for the Bloggers' Choice Awards this weekend. I was blown away to bring home Travel Blogger of the Year (!!) & honestly can't thank everyone enough. I've been travelling for years both luxury trips with Sue & budget adventures with our little ones and I only ever began blogging because I wanted to share our stories in the hope that some of you could do exactly the same - to be recognised for a labour of love is beyond humbling. You're all bloody legends. Thank you xx

Now - To London!

If you’ve been watching our Snapchat stories (@StoneTravel for me & @ItsCherrSue for herself) you’d have seen that we were recently in London as my birthday gift for Sue. As you know by now, we don't do things by halves when it comes to experiences but we certainly do things by halves, if not better when it comes to living it up without breaking the bank. Today I’m going to tell you how you too can enjoy a lavish weekend in London for very little lolly.

Flights:

First up were the flights, I’ve written a post about the 5 major airports in London and the amount of time and cash it takes to get to central London from each of them; you'll find that HERE. For these reasons I’ll always choose Heathrow when I can as it’s on the tube line.

The only stumbling block is that flights from Dublin to Heathrow can be very expensive. The best way to ensure you’re getting a great deal is to use Skyscanner. In January I set up an alert with Skyscanner for flights from Dublin to Heathrow (you can do the same for any destination). Nine weeks before we wanted to fly I was sent an e-mail to advise me the price of our flights had dropped to just €101.50 per person including all taxes and charges with British Airways.

As it was our first flight with British Airways I didn’t realise you receive complimentary drinks and snacks on board. Not only are they complimentary they are also very generous to boot. The air hosts & hostesses were some of the most pleasant we've ever flown with, our journey was entirely effortless, start to finish. A short 45 minute flight and a couple of rounds later we arrived in Heathrow relaxed and ready for the weekend.

Getting Around:

The cheapest and easiest way to travel in London is on the Tube using an Oyster Card. You can buy an Oyster card before you go HERE and have it delivered to your house costing £3 plus postage and the amount you wish to top it up by. Alternatively you can buy one in most tube stations at a cost of £5 deposit. Credit on an Oyster Card never expires so you can keep it for your next trip to London. 

You can also buy a Day Travelcard but they work out much more expensive at £12.10 per day whereas with an Oyster Card travel is capped at £6.50 per day between zones 1& 2. Using a paper ticket Heathrow to London City Centre costs £6pp each way, using an Oyster Card costs £5.10 during peak times and £3.10 off peak.

Hotel:

I find London the same as New York, insofar as trying to find the elusive decent hotel in the City at a decent price but I think we’ve finally cracked London! While searching expedia.ie I found the Copthorne Tara Hotel in Kensington. It’s part of the Millennium Hotels Group consisting of over 100 hotels worldwide. The Copthorne Tara is located just a short stroll from High Street Kensington Tube station. It’s literally right behind the station itself, though you can barely make out the sound of the trains.

This 4* hotel is exactly what we’ve been looking for as it has everything on our checklist; location, price and amenities including two restaurants, two bars, a café and even a gift shop. We paid €298.47 through Expedia for a superior room with free WiFi, room only, 2 nights for 2 adults sharing. The option was available to book the room on a B&B basis but it was priced at €664.10, that’d be some breakfast! Breakfast in the hotel is priced at £17pp they also have a takeout breakfast in the café with a great array of choice, priced at £4.95.

Where to Eat:

On a previous visit to London we had found a Whole Foods in Kensington, we really wanted to return so we decided we’d buy breakfast there on Saturday morning. It’s amazing the sheer amount of fresh wholesome food available, it’s actually too much when you’re hungry as we couldn’t decide what we wanted for breakfast! We opted for smoothies and fresh fruit salads; while we were looking for somewhere to sit and eat we stumbled upon Roadster California Burger in Kensington. The lure of American pancakes was too much for us so with our healthy food on the seat beside us we tucked into a scrumptious breakfast. CherrySue had a pancake stack with sausages and bacon while I had an egg white omelette with cheese, bacon and tomato. Our bill came to a very reasonable total of £17.50, including our drinks. 

Garlic Bites & Spiked Lemonades in Bella Italia

Bella Italia on Leicester Square was where we had dinner on Saturday night, one starter, two pasta dishes and two cocktails cost just under £45 not bad for central London. The service was incredibly slow, with other guests leaving mid-meal but our waiter explained that they were in the middle of an entire revamp. I'm guessing give them a week or so and they'll be top notch. 

Jamie's Empire Chicken ~ You HAVE to try this!

Lunch on Sunday was Jamie’s Union Jacks in Covent Garden, I’d forgotten just how unbelievably tasty his Empire Chicken with Bombay Potatoes was. It’s a dish I’ll definitely be making again soon; his recipe is available online HERE. We paid just under £50 for a spread of two portions of Empire Chicken, sides of bread & coleslaw topped off with a couple of beers. Jamie’s Secret Basement Bar looks fantastic; unfortunately the bar wasn’t open when we visited but we'll definitely pop back.

Where to Drink:

Sue had a couple of meet ups planned for us while we were in London, for one of those we chose Chiquito Leicester Square. Cocktails start at £6.95 but are reduced to £5 during happy hour. We had a couple of pitchers of cocktails and paid £20.95 per pitcher. Chiquito has a lovely al fresco dining area where it’s great to sit and people watch over Leicester square.

The Zoo Bar & Club on Leicester Square is a lively bar that gets packed to the rafters during happy hour 5pm – 9pm where all drinks are half price including pitchers of cocktails. Be warned though it’s very dark inside, it’s one of those places that I don’t think I’d like to see it with the full lights on. Having said that they have a seating area outside where we enjoyed a pitcher of Sex on the Beach for the bargain price of £9.25.

I didn’t say anything to Sue (world’s biggest gin lover!) as I wanted to surprise her with a trip to Holborn Dining Room located in the 5* Rosewood London Hotel just beside Holborn Tube station. With over 14 thousand Gin and Tonic combinations Holborn Dining Room is London’s largest Gin bar. As we were seated we were given a menu containing their Gin Specials while we were having a look and deciding the barman came over and presented us with their full Gin menu, or rather a book (or bible according to Sue) that’d take you all day to read! 

He was so friendly and helpful giving us lots of advice and recommendations, he even set up a Gin tasting for us. Sue decided to choose his recommendation of Bloom Gin with cardamom, chamomile and lemon, while I opted for a Jinzu; a British Gin with a Japanese twist finished off with a shiso leaf and cherry blossom. Our bill totalled £27.50, which was very reasonable for a 5* experience.

What to see:

The view from the Sky Garden

My top tip for visiting London would be to book a free one hour visit to Sky Garden so you can enjoy uninterrupted 360° views across the City of London taking in the Thames, Tower Bridge, The Shard, The London Eye and everything else London has to offer. There are two restaurants and two bars in Sky Garden if you wish to have a drink, snack or something more substantial; pre booking is advised for the restaurants.

The Shard also has amazing views of London from a higher vantage point on the other side of the Thames but you’ll pay £30.95pp for the privilege. Tickets for Sky Garden are dated and timed; you must also produce photographic ID to gain entry. We were late arriving but luckily we were still granted admission, to be honest we didn’t need the full hour but the views really are spectacular. We booked our free visit HERE.

West End Shows:

We always try to take in a West End show when in London, this time was no different. On Saturday afternoon we found ourselves in a tickets booth just off Leicester Square asking for recommendations for a matinee show. Sue really wanted to see The Book of Mormon but unfortunately tickets were priced at £170 each also they were nearly sold out meaning they didn’t have two seats sitting together. We eventually decided to take in two shows as we couldn’t decide which to choose.

Being Fancy AF at Kinky Boots

Kinky Boots, a six time Tony award winning show was the matinee we chose and it was fantastic; a real feel good musical with toe tapping tunes by Cyndi Lauper. The musical tells the story of Charlie Price who inherits his father’s ailing shoe factory in Northampton, he tries everything he can to save the factory for his employees. Charlie meets Lola a drag queen and they hit upon the idea to make boots for drag queens as there is a gap in the market for that demographic. Based on a true story, Kinky Boots takes you through highs and lows but leaves you wanting more as you leave the theatre. If you get to see just one show this year make it Kinky Boots, we paid £41 each for our tickets (& £6.50 each for our posh lollies). 

Based on recommendations we decided to see Showboat on Saturday night. Showboat is set in 1887 and spans 40 years telling the stories of performers, stagehands and dock workers of the Cotton Blossom, a show boat that sailed on the Mississippi River. This musical was originally written in 1927 and gave us classic songs such as “Ol, Man River” and “Can’t Help Lovin’ That Man”. The stage was impressive and very well planned out. I loved the caramel bass tones of Joe singing “Ol, Man River”. I could have listened to him all night. 

No matter your tickets you'll get a great view of the stage for Showboat!

Unfortunately the ending just didn’t ring true for me & I've a feeling it may be rewritten. Still, as an evening out it was really enjoyable. We paid £21 each for our tickets as it's still in preview stages.

As ever, we had an absolute ball in London town. We're over very often so will definitely be visiting a couple of these spots again & no doubt staying in the Copthorne Tara again but tell us, anywhere we missed? 

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. 

Louboutin Lipstick Lip Swatches & Review ~ A Guest Post by Katie Healy!

When I saw Louboutin was to release lipsticks there was just one lady I knew I could trust with a review. Katie Healy of What Katie Healy Did is the epitome of glamour online, just one peek at her Instagram HERE will tell you that. If you are lucky enough to know Katie in real life though you'll know that it's not just a digital persona, she is truly beautiful and exudes every ounce of elegance in person that she portrays online. 

All of that and she's a Louboutin super fan. While I couldn't justify the €85 tag, I knew she wouldn't be able to resist. I was right. Before you empty your life savings for a Louboutin lipstick, take a look at an unbiased, informative review from a lady that really knows what she's talking about. Take it away, Katie!

Charlotte Tilbury Eyes to Mesmerise Review WITH Swatches! ft Mona Lisa, Marie Antoinette, Bette, Norma Jean & Verushka!

It's a rare occasion that I'll tell you that €26 spent on an eye shadow is money well spent. Even rarer that I'll tell you that five times over. Well look out for the blue moon this very night because I'm about to do just that. If the above picture of Charlotte Tilbury's Eyes to Mesmerise (my most popular Instagram by a mile!) isn't enough to tickle your beauty loving pickle then the swatches below just might be. 

Where to Stay in Dublin ~ Save Versus Splurge

As an Irish Travel writer one of the questions I'm asked most often is 'Which is the best hotel in Dublin?'. Truthfully, the answer depends on so many factors so I thought a Save -v- Splurge post was best. Let me know what you think!

May Faves ft Bioderma, Charlotte Tilbury, Clarins, Dior, L'Oreal, MAC, New Look, Salvatore Ferragamo, Sure, Versace & Zerreau!

1. Versace Eros Pour Femme: €80 HERE & Salvatore Ferragamo Emozione: From €53 HERE

Vesace Eros Pour Femme & Ferragamo Emozione

Yep, it's unusual for me to feature two fragrances in one months favourites but the Gods honest truth is I couldn't decide between these two. Much as I can't decide between 'em day to day either.

Versace Eros Pour Femme is, possibly, the best advertisement for not judging a perfume by its bottle. The bawdy, gaudy high shine, heavyweight gold design is just about as in the face as you'd expect from Versace but, Sing Hosannahs, the scent is aptly named after the Greek God of love himself, Eros. It. Is FABOOSH!

Top Notes include Sicilian lemon, Calabrian bergamot and pomegranate accords, with a heart of lemon, sambac jasmine absolute, jasmine infusion and peony. The base incorporates sandalwood, ambrox, musk and woody notes. It's as surprised at a scent as I've been in quite a while and anyone that's been within spritzing distance from me for the past month will agree. You gots to sniff it!

Ferragamo's Emozione happened to arrive on the same day as Eros Pour Femme and they've been duking it out ever since. Emozione is as powdery as I'm willing to go scent wise, I've never really been an Iris fan. Until now. 

Top notes are bright citrus bergamot, softened with powdery of iris & velvety peach bringing a roundness to the scent. The heart notes are feminine florals with peony, Bulgarian rose, heliotrope and patchouli. With base notes of suede and white musk, Emozione is easily the most elegant fragrance I own but, again, I've yet to accost a friend or colleague that doesn't love it too. 

2. Charlotte Tilbury Eyes to Mesmerise Veruschka: £22 HERE

Charlotte Tilbury Eyes to Mesmerise - Veruschka

Having lusted after the Tom Ford Summer '15 cream shadows ever since early pics emerged, I was full sure that I'd need to own one or risk certain combustion. That was until I swatched the unadulterated beauty that is Charlotte Tilbury's Eyes to Mesmerise in Veruschka. 

Ridiculously pigmented, you only need the tiniest amount of this minky moss/greeny gold lustrous cream to transform your look in just one swipe. Easily buildable after the fact for desk to disco shenanigans, I'm pretty certain now that I'm going to need every shade in the range. IT'S AN ILLNESS I TELL THEE!

3. Clarins Aquatic Treasures Mascara: €26 HERE 

& Liner: €18 HERE

Clarins Aquatic Treasures

Summer wouldn't be summer without coloured liners and mascaras coming out to play and it certainly wouldn't be summer in my books without the newest Clarins limited edition collection. This year we have Aquatic Treasures and while, as ever, the bronzer is literally stunning (PEEK HERE), the stand outs this year for me are the Truly Waterproof mascara & liner in matching aquatic green. 

Not normally one to opt for greens when it comes to eye make up, being the sporter of green/blue siúls, this duo has seriously surprised me. I was sporting the peach/plum shades of Bare Minerals The Happy Place when this press drop landed so popped both on my lower lash line and HOLY NEW PEEPERS, BATMAN! 

I can't imagine an eye colour this combo won't flatter, aside entirely from the fact that they. do. not. budge! That's a tall order when it comes to the waterline. Should you be tempted I'd urge you to leggit, not walk to your nearest Clarins counter & pick 'em up!

4. Bioderma AR BB Cream: £10 HERE (at independent Irish pharmacies from this month)

Bioderma AR BB Cream

Boasting seven skincare benefits in one application, this AR (Anti Redness) BB Cream from Bioderma is definitely one for typical Irish lasses to get excited about. The first skincare/makeup hybrid of its kind, the main focus here is on preventing & concealing redness, without ever feeling too heavy on the skin. 

I was taken aback at first when I saw the colour 'Light' but it blends in beautifully with my skin tone, never felt heavy and lasted the full 8 hours of work. Sensitive skinned lovelies and those suffering from Rosacea will be particularly interested in this Bioderma first. Form an orderly queue, lads!

5. Sure Maximum Protection Stress Control: €7.50 HERE

Sure Max Protection Stress Control

When chatting with blogging pals a little while ago we got to chatting about old faithfuls. You know the products that, no matter what's thrown in your basket or dropped on your desk that you'll return to again & again. Well Sure Max Protection Antiperspirants are that for me and this newest version is no different. 

Though Stress Control is not as fresh as my ultimate Clean Fresh version, I've found it lasts a lot longer on me and yeah, possibly up to 48 hours. I walk most every day, 5k+ at a time and Stress Control has yet to let me down. Even in a pinch when it's a baby wipe & back to the desk situation, this stuff just works and smells bloody good doing it too. 

6. L'Oreal Hot & Go Spray: €1.50 HERE

L'Oreal Hot & Go Blow Drying Spray

There's not a lot I wouldn't do for faster blow drying time, some things, but not a lot. Handy then that L'Oreal have come out with this canned genius & handier again that you can nab it for just €1.50! 

It's a smoothing heat defense spray, that literally speeds up bow drying time and let's face it, who doesn't need both of those things. I'm genuinely not sure how the science works but I do know that if you have hair then you wanna try this spray. Trufax. 

7. DIOR Diorskin Nude Tan Tie Dye Blush Edition Coral Sunset: €51.30 HERE

DIOR Diorskin Nude Tan Tie Dye Blush Edition Coral Sunset

Is it possible for me to gush any more about Coral Sunset? Is it? I mean just look at her, sit there, take a breath & LUKATAR. 

I have a full review of this beauty & my other Cherry Picks from the limited edition Dior collection HERE but it's fairly safe to say that Coral Sunset will be my favourite this month and next month & the one after forever and ever AMEN. 

8. MAC Morange: €21.50 MAC Stores Nationwide

If you read my review of Smashbox Fireball Matte last week then you'll know I'm all about the orange lips this summer. Which is handy considering THE ENTIRE BEAUTY WORLD is all about orange lips too. 

Morange is  well known as one of MACs cult lip colours but I've always been too chicken to try it. Flash forward to this stunning little press kit from the brand and VOILA, I'm converted. Morange is vividly pigmented, with red undertones and applies like a dream, once I have my lips prepped. 

A show stopper on nights out and a heart stopper each time I catch a glance at the ombre Wash & Dry tube, it's safe to say we won't be soon parted. I feel now about bright lips like Steve Martin in The Jerk with his 'If this is out there, think how much MORE is out there!'

9. Zerreau Towel Off Foam Shampoo: £6.99 HERE

Zerreau Towel Off Foam Shampoo

What we have here is next gen dry shampoo!

Zerreau Towel Off Foam Shampoo is a revelation. Pump the foam into your roots, towel out grease, product build up & style as normal. You're left with volumised, fresh tresses with the slightest hint of green apples.Powerful enough, apparently, to remove even hair chalk, I can see this new hybrid being a manna from heaven for Gals at this summers festivals. 

Ideal for hair emergencies & last minute fixes. I'm loving it so far.

10. New Look Rose Gold Laser Cut Cross Body Bag: €9.20 HERE

New Look Rose Gold Bag - with added Cherries HERE

Metallic, laser cut, zip detail, cross body, bucket bag, ROSE GOLD - I mean if that combination of words isn't enough to sway you.. And that pic above isn't enough to bring you around then how about the price? 

Less. Than. A. Tenner. I KNOW. I've never been complimented on a bag as much as I have this one. It's served me well up & down the length of this country and Irish Sea hopping to London too. If you love the metallic trend and love a bargain, hell if you just love a friend that you think could do with a pick me up, you need to zip it over to the New Look sale and pick this beauty up. Frankly I'm shocked there's any left!!


So tell us, what was tickling your proverbial pickle in the month of May? I'd love to know!

The Ace Hotel, Shoreditch ~ Review!

I mentioned last week in our Smashbox Fireball Matte review that we'd taken a little Press sojourn to London town with the brand for its reveal. Well since Corrina is still on cloud 9 after our Ballina trip this weekend, I thought I'd take this Travel Tuesday as an opportunity to tell you about our seriously cool digs in the English capital. The Ace Hotel in Shoreditch. 

Elemental Herbology Macadamia & Papaya Radiance Body Scrub ~ Tropical Heaven!

When it comes to luxury skincare, Elemental Herbology are right at the top of their game. If you like your skincare to be more of an experience than a tick on your to do list, then you're gonna wanna try something from this holistic British brand. Not only do they harness natural actives to get the best from your skin, their products are 100% free from synthetic fragrance, artificial colour, mineral oils, sulphates, parabens and preservatives. Case in point, the glorious Macadamia & Papaya Radiance Body Scrub. 

A tropical mix of essential actives and bio-oils, Carlsberg don't do body scrubs but if they did, it probably wouldn't be a patch on this stunner. Papaya, sea salt & sugar provide the scrubbiness with macadamia & Buriti oil, the bio actives providing the unrivaled, nourishing softness.

Elemental Herbology Macadamia & Papaya Radiance Body Scrub: €41.10 HERE

A boon for self tanning prep or post care or if you're simply prepping for shorter sleeves (and hemlines) this Summer. I apply this thick scrub, in upward motions before I step into the shower and continue my ablutions before washing off before I step out. I consider it a full body facial because that's exactly what it is. 

Including this in your skin nourishing efforts means you're looking at at least three days of asking yourself 'Is this new skin?! I'm sure this is new skin'. I absolutely blahhdy love it. If you happen to be in or around a SpaceNK store I do urge you to just take a little sniff of Elemental Herbology. Maybe even nicely ask for a sample and come back to tell me how much you're loving it too. 

Tell us, have you tried anything from this brand before? Put on the spot what would you say is your HG body scrub?

#Bbloggers High End Giveaway ~ Worth Over €300!

I'm always the first to try turn a negative into a positive (I AM!) so when I spent yesterday lamenting my rustled jimmies about how many off the cuff 'gimme stuff' emails and PMs I get, I got to thinking. I've been blogging/freelance writing beauty for four years now and every single day I'm asked for 'spare' products. There'll be an email, a pm, a DM, even pointed posts to my Facebook page with peeps on the cadge (though yep, some are genuine). When it comes to new bloggers, I try to help with information as often as I possibly can but providing all with products is neither my place nor my inclination.

I'm a firm believer that if you have a passion for beauty and products that posts about your own prized possessions are the ideal springboard to launch a new blog. Those are the posts that people will be drawn to, regardless of the product on show. Ultimately it's your passion and your voice that will drive engagement and build your audience.

In saying that, it's always nice to have a high end product sprinkled in the mix and to that end I'd like to help with this Giveaway. Above I have €300 worth of not spare but duplicate products that you'll most likely find reviews for on site. For the most part, I donate these duplicates to local charities for raffles or gift them to friends, family and colleagues for special occasions or when I know they'll love 'em.

If you're a #bblogger/beauty addict, looking to review some high end beauty then winning this beauty booty couldn't be easier: just make sure you're a follower on whichever social media platform suits you best (links below) and comment below with how you follow (you'll get an entry for each) and a link to your blog if you'd like some Cherry Link Love!

Do ping me a tweet to chat beauty or blogging at any stage though, I can and have spoken for Ireland on the subject <3

@ItsCherrySue

CherrySue Doin' the Do

@ItsCherrySue

CherrySue, Doin' the Do

Competition is open to UK & ROI and we'll announce a Winner in two weeks time, Friday 14th May. 

Good Luck!!

City Centre Luxury in the Dylan Hotel

If you are heading to Dublin & really want to push the boat out, I’d recommend a night in the 5 star boutique Dylan Hotel, Eastmoreland Place, Dublin 4. The hotel is located a stone’s throw from Baggot Street, so everywhere is within walking distance for a night on the tiles. We had the pleasure of a stay last year & we paid €211 for a twin room for one night B&B.

 

If it’s style & sophistication you are after the Dylan Hotel is the one for you. From the moment I set foot in reception I was taken with the understated elegance & pure luxury of the Hotel. On the way to our room there is an almost burlesque feel with colours of the decor topped off with sparkling chandeliers.

We stayed in room 301, which is a Dylan Style room. Our room came complete with a balcony so we had a bird’s eye view over the rooftops of Dublin. Oh yeah & one of the walls is floor to ceiling mirrors, I frightened the life out of myself walking into the room! 

The amenities of the room are befitting of a 5 star hotel, memory foam topped beds, high count cotton linens, Air conditioning, iPod with Bose docking station, mini bar, flat screen TV, robes & slippers to name a few. They even have hair straighteners & curling tongs available on request.

Breakfast is served in the Tavern Restaurant, where they have everything & anything you could possibly want, all freshly prepared. The only difficulty I had was it was so hard to choose what to have! Sue has regularly commented that The Dylan have the best brekkie she's ever had (and she's had a few). 

I went for the Eggs Benedict & was not disappointed with my choice. It was undeniably the best Eggs Benedict I’ve had in any hotel across the Country. I have a feeling the next time we are celebrating something & heading to Dublin for the night we just might be booking a room in the Dylan again.

Tell us, have you stayed in this 5 star gem of a hotel before? Let us know!