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? 

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. 

#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!!

February Faves ft Elemental Herbology, Estée Lauder, Maybelline, Max Factor,Molton Brown, Philosophy, Skechers & YSL !

February, February, FEB-RU-ARY - that's a very weird word to say innit? Thankfully it wasn't a weird month, beauty wise, with some serious faves coming to the fore. 

1. Fudge Urban Powder Styler: €6.33 Here

A more purse friendly option than my HG Bumble & Bumble Prêt-à-Powder (€30), this Fudge Urban offer has been saving my bacon dry shampoo and volume wise this year. The fine powder is sprinkled into the roots of dry hair and after rubbing in (and getting over the weird sticky sensation) it gives serious OOMPH. I've been applying it to freshly blow dried hair and not only does it give me great body, it doesn't change the colour of my hair or itch my scalp as dry shampoos can tend to do. 

2. Elemental Herbology Macadamia & Papaya Body Scrub: €32.64 Here

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 providing the unrivaled, nourishing softness. A boon for self tanning prep or post care or skin simply in need of a Spring lift. I apply this thick scrub before I step into the shower and continue my ablutions before washing off. You're looking at at least three days of asking yourself 'Is this new skin?!'. Blahhdy love it!

3. Molton Brown Rhubarb & Rose: €22 Here



I've waxed lyrical about Molton Brown's new baby, Rhubarb & Rose already here and I'm not ashamed to say we're already half way through the bottle. Easily my favourite release of theirs in quite a while (and there's been stiff competition) this sudsy wash smells exactly like rhubarb & cream sherbets of yesteryear. 

If you're a fan of the tart pink stalks then you need this in your life and on your boddeh. STAT. I also have it on good authority that a Rhubarb & Rose candle is about to launch. THRILLED!

4. Estée Lauder Little Black Primer: €24.50 HERE 



You'll find my gushings for Lauder's Little Black Primer HERE but I guess the fact that since it's now gone on sale and I've bought one for both my Mum & a friend should really be testament too. It's a very simple idea, stunningly executed and should you be in need of a little lash lift, or indeed a waterproofing wonder then you need look no further. 

5. Max Factor Creme Puff Blushes: €11.49 HERE

You'd have to be living under a particularly large rock not to have seen these marbled beauties from Max Factor taking over the blogosphere. Available in 6 flattering shades, Makeup Artist Pat McGrath lauds them as a new era in colour contour. She's not wrong. I've been using 3 shades interchangeably with my large kabuki as I would a bronzer and I can't count the compliments I've had on my skin. 

There have been justifiable comparisons made between the Creme Puff blushes and both Hourglass Ambient Light and cult favourites Milani, they're very, very similar. A fabulous addition to any makeup stash, you need one of these affordable pots toute de suite. 

6. YSL Volupté Tint-In-Oil: €27 HERE



Should you follow me on any social media at all, you'll be well used to my fawning over the YSL Volupte Tint-in-Oils. I've a full review HERE including swatches of the entire line. Everything I hoped a lip oil would be, despite receiving Peach Me Love here as a pre drop Press Sample, once the line launched I dashed out and bought another two too. Again, that's a serious beauty blogger testament, especially considering the €27 price tag. With Mammy's Day coming up, I don't know a Mammy alive that wouldn't love once of these nourishing, flattering, lip plumping oils. 

7. Philosophy's Time in a Bottle Serum: €70 HERE

I won't often recommend a product with as spendy a price tag as Time in a Bottle unless it's life changing. Time in a Bottle is life changing. The high potency vitamin C activator is added to the serum before use, ensuring the freshest, most potent possible active ingredient. Let's be honest, even the sciency feeling of that alone would've sold me at first. 

The difference it's made to my skin over the past 8 weeks though is visible and that's why I'll be buying this again, regardless of price. For any age and any skin type, my newly plumped, softened and brighter visage and I legitimately recommend this with all our might. 

8. Maybelline Sensational Mascara: €11.99 HERE

You may have missed my comparison between Maybelline Sensational and current mascara must have Roller Lash from Benefit. You can read all about that HERE but suffice to say Sensational is every lash as good, if not better than its much, much more expensive counterpart - so much so that I happily gifted Roller Lash to my Mam, safe in the knowledge that I had Maybelline. Offering curl and lift with zero smudging or flaking, this inky black mascara is a definite fave and will be for quite some time. 

9. Skechers Serengeti Trainers: €73 HERE

These light weight, memory foam insoled trainers have literally changed the way I walk. Like literally. I had been managing 4-6k every other day at lunch day in work but, hand to god, these have gotten me out the doras more days than not. They genuinely feel like I'm wearing nothing at all ( a la Sexy Flanders) and the breathable mesh means not only are they comfortable, regardless of the distance traveled but also that I've no fear of storing 'em in my desk drawer between walks. My colleagues and I thank you, Skechers. We thank you very kindly indeed. 


Tell us, are you a lover of any of the above? What took top spots in your February Faves this year then? Do feel free to pop in a link should you have posted about them and I'll be sure to check it out. 

YSL ~ Volupté Tint-in-Oil ~ Peach Me Love (Includes Swatches of Entire Line)

When I first saw lip oils on the German beauty aisles last year my mind raced wild. Having rustled the beauty grapevine, I learned that they were the new biggest thing and that they'd be making their way to main stream in 2015. While Clarin's were first off the bat with their Extra Comfort version, this YSL Volupté Tint-in-Oil is everything I initially hoped lip oils would be. And more.

Oils normally repel tints but the juicy pigments are suspended within five nourishing oils to give you the best of both worlds. Apricot kernel oil, macadamia seed oil, coriander fruit oil, jojoba seed oil and passion flower oil give not only a nourishing feeling instantly slicked lip but once the shine abates, lips are left with a surprisingly long lasting tint. 

8 Juicy Shades Boast 5 Nourishing Oils 

Peach Me Love (above) landed on my desk last week and within minutes of swatching I was re reading the press release to check launch dates, full sure in the knowledge I'd be buying at least two more.

Peach Me Love applies as shiny peach, tastes like peach, smells like peach, dries down to long lasting peach, IS A PEACH! I'm hoping my next two are just as mouth watering but this is as instantly as I've fallen in love with a product in a very, very long time. 

On counter though, I can't tell you how I struggled to choose. The oils apply almost completely sheer but once they warm slightly on the skin they begin to transform. Niall on the YSL counter in Blanchardstown's Debenhams (Hi Niall!) was seriously helpful, regaling me with tales of each of the ladies that had fallen in love with each shade before me. 

I settled for 5. Cherry My Chérie (obvs!) and 7. Crush Me Orange and truthfully, I regret nothing. It's a very rare occasion for me to dash out and buy following a press drop and it never EVER happens with products of this price. You got me, YSL, you got me good. 

No filter swatches after approx 1 minute. Those tints stayed in place for a good 40 mins,
even after I'd wiped away the gloss. 

While the Clarins Lip Oil, mentioned here, is more of a oil based gloss with a soft tint that lasts only briefly on the lips, YSL Tint-in-oil feels more like a balm/gloss hybrid. There is zero gloop, zero transfer and zero reasons for you not to get to counter and check these out as soon as you possibly can!

Hype? Moi? 

Things I'm Trialling - 18/08/14

I mentioned last week on Instagram that I'd be starting a new mini series called Things I'm Trialling. I'm a seriously lucky duck (& a hard shaggin' workin' one too) so each week sees a beauty influx of products to trial and review. 

Because of the sheer volume, I thought an easy way to make sure you're seeing more of the good stuff would be a weekly series. Each Monday I'll post an instagram pic of Things I'm Trialling, the following Monday will see a blog post with first impressions and speed reviews. What say we to that? Let's see, shall we? 

1. Pantene Dry Shampoo Volume Booster: £3.99 Here

The newest dry shampoo on the fit to bust block is Pantene. This is no ordinary powdery spray though. Being a fiend for the shampoo dodging tins, I can safely say this is one of my top OF ALL TIME. Pantene uses Tapioca starch to soak up excess oil, which means no scalp residue, no powdery finish and the ability to brush out with ease when needed. Use the night before needed for gorgeously scented, game changing results. 


2. Darphin Revitalizing Oil for Face, Body & Hair - Launches Sept (€29). 


Hydration is the name of the game with Darphin's The Revitalising Oil. One of the most comforting scents I've yet to try in an oil, it is comprised of 98% natural ingredients. The mixture of 4 essential oils and 9 precious plant oils that protect and nourish the skin and hair. Less is definitely more with this oil, with 5 drops being the recommended application. I softly press it on, massage it in and rub the slight excess through my hair. It's a high end oil with an affordable price. Fabulous. 

3. Physician's Formula Extreme Shimmer Strips - €8.56 Here

These Extreme Shimmer Sticks are just the last in a long line of bargains from iherb,com. Though the shimmer count is HIGH in these twistables, the formulation is still smooth and long lasting. While the purple is nowhere near as opaque as I would have hoped for, both the black & brown make up for it. Creamy and long lasting with barely noticeable shimmer on the eye, these are winners. 

4. YSL La Laque Couture Nail Lacquer in 53 Taupe Grain- €24 Here

From the Black Fetish collection, this YSL leather effect polish is one to wear this A/W. The dark taupe polish dries to a semi matte textured finish that'll have all and sundry asking what you're wearing. Ideal for tootsies as the weather changes, it's a winner for me. 

5.Clinique Chubby Sticks for Cheeks & Baby Tint for Lips €24 & €20

You'll find my full review for Clinique Chubby Sticks for Cheeks here, soft and nourishing, they're a winner for summer make up but might need a little setting powder should you be looking for long wear blush. 

The Baby Tints are sheer, moisturising balms that are said to work with your own chemistry to change colour on application. They're very subtle but very soft. Chubby Stick collectors will love 'em. 

6. Halle Berry Wild Essence - €19.99

With citrus notes, white flowers, sandalwood & patchouli all grounded with musk, I had high hopes for Wild Essence. It sounds like just my kind of scent, right? Unfortunately it just didn't grab me the way her Closer scent from last year did. That could be entirely my sniffer's fault though as it's already been plucked from my mitts by Adam's girlfriend who is already a quarter way through the bottle!

7.Rimmel Wonderf'full Mascara - €6.99 Here

The highly anticipated Rimmel Wonder'full mascara boasts Argan Oil in its formulation and promises smooth clump free lashes. Yep and yep. 

Though not one to reach for should you be looking for volume, Wonder'full does a mighty fine job of separating lashes and adding shine. Think the feathery effect of Clinique Lasting Power Mascara at a snip of the cost. It's not as long lasting as Clinique but at less than half the price it is more budget friendly. 

8.Aurelia Probiotic Serum - £47 Here

I picked up this ickle serum sample when chatting with the brands founder, Claire Vero in Space NK a couple of weeks back. This age prevention fluid is chock full of cruelty free, natural ingredients and antioxidants that pack a powerful punch. 

Though I find it doesn't sink in as easily as other serums, I've been adding just a drop to my daily moisturiser before foundation and have been LOVING the results. I'll have a full review up soon but do please check out this luxe and lust worthy brand. 

9.Ambre Solaire 1 Week Glow - €12.99 Here

Ambre Solaire's new 1 Week Glow gives me more like a 4 days of sun kissed skin ~ though knocks the socks of my favourite high end gradual facial tanners two and three times its price. Check it out sooner rather than later. 

10.Bia Beauty Mellow Mandarin Moisturiser - €16.95 Here

Oh I do love a bit of natural skincare and when that skincare is also Irish made, more's the better. This Mellow Mandarin Moisturiser is from Irish skincare brand Bia Beauty and couldn't be softer on stressed out skin. 

Blending Mandarin to combat sebum production, Calendula to nourish and repair damaged skin and sweet almond oil to soften skin naturally, this gentle, subtly scented moisturiser is an absolute gem. 

11.Origins GinZing Revitalizing Mineral Make-Up - €30 Here

I haven't always had great results with mineral make up in the past so was a little hesitant to put Origins new GinZing offering to the test. This ultra fine formulation is encased beneath a mesh so as to limit messy fallout and over release of product. It works just fine & dandy. Rice, Barley, Caffeine and mineral pigments work to create a mineral foundation that can be worn sheer or built up to achieve higher coverage. Not only did my skin not break out in protest but it truly glowed with this natural finish foundation.Brighter skin with zero shine - it's an Origins miracle!

So what say we? See anything that tickles your pickle? 

Be sure to check out today's Instagram pic to see the Things I'm Trialling this week coming!

Yves Saint Laurent - Movie Review

Who's in it?

Pierre Niney, Guillaume Gallienne & Charlotte Le Bon 

What's it about?

In what can be seen as a companion piece to L'Amour Fou (2010), Yves Saint Laurent gives an insight into the turbulent behind the scenes relationship between YSL and Pierre Bergé, his partner in love and business. Spanning four decades we see Saint Laurent first as the nervous, aspiring designer taken under the wing of Dior and thrust into the limelight upon his death in '57. 

The following 106 minutes are a voyeuristic peek inside the times of an intrinsically flawed man and a creative genius ~ We're shown the hedonism & counter restrictions that shaped him into the icon he became and the Saint Laurent House into the mecca it remains. 

Any Good?

While it won't make many ripples outside beauty/fashion circles, this glimpse into the life of one of our times greatest fashion visionaries is a feast for fashion loving eyes. Overseen and approved by Pierre Bergé himself, the movie, narrated with Bergé's words plays like a eulogy to the love of his life, Yves. 

Niney portrays such a convincing impression of YSL that it is rumoured Saint Laurent's dog mistook him for his lost owner while visiting the set - that makes me a little sad for the pooches sake, as this entire film does for Bergés sake. 

From young, neurotic Mammy's boy to full on narcissistic, self destructive, drug fuelled and tortured artist there is no doubt that this depiction of YSL is very close to already reported tales of his scandalous life. 

While those without an interest in the evolution of the luxury fashion house might tire of this tale very early on, those with the slightest sartorial interest will relish every single moment of this movie. 

Peppered with original design sketches, thought processes behind each revolutionary collection and petty squabbles over the initial FROW seating arrangements with famous fashion journalists in tiny Parisian rooms, I genuinely enjoyed Yves Saint Laurent. If you're reading this site and this review I can guarantee you will too. 

Yves Saint Laurent is

in Irish cinemas today. 

Rating: 

YSL Babydoll Mascara in Fetish Black: Tried and Tested with Before & After Photos

Being an avid lover of YSLs Effect faux Cils and Shocking mascaras, there was an audible squee when the Mascara Volume Effet Faux Cils Baby Doll press release arrived in my inbox. 'Eyes deprived of nothing' it said, 'A return to sophistication' it said. 

'GET ON MY LASHES' I said. 

Housed in the iconic high shine golden tube, the only way to differentiate this iteration from previous YSL beauties is the handwritten fuchsia pink 'babydoll'. 

The Babydoll wand is a lot thinner than you might expect for a truly volumising mascara. A rubber brush crammed full of short, stiff bristles that are set in an 'inverted spiral' to give you the best results when applying from root to tip of the lash in a zig zag motion. 

Working quickly, I applied it right from my tight line and the brush, unbelievably, gripped almost every lash.  The formulation is wet, though not messily so and speed is your friend with application. 

I have two/three coats on here and you can see quite clearly we're talking separation, we're talking volume and we're talking curl. In a nutshell, we're talking turkey.

I've had no flaking, no clumping and no breakage as can be a problem with many volumising mascaras and for that and all of the reasons above I'm giving Mascara Volume Effet Faux Cils Baby Doll two thumbs up. 

Available from this month from YSL counters, priced at €32.50 and available in 4 colours: Fetish Black (my sample), Wheedler Brown, Audacious Blue and Indiscreet Purple. I'll certainly be picking up purple when pay day rocks around. 

Are we babydoll lovers? 

YSL Bronze Pyrite Nail Lacquer

I spoke some weeks back about my first YSL lacquer, Bronze Pyrite from the Spring 2013 collection. At that time I had high hopes for the beautiful metallic but only time would tell if it lived up to my expectations. 

In the bottle, Bronze Pyrite clearly shows it's silver/gold/pewter beauty but on the nail it's a different story. It has to be admitted that this is probably one of the prettiest polish bottles I possess but truth be told I do have a soft spot for anything YSL related. How does it perform as a polish though? 

The wide brush allows the thick formulation to be painted on in one coat. I'm talking opacity in seconds and that's helped me out more than once in the past month as not only is it a stunning manicure in its own right but I've been toting this little gem in my bag and any chips or tears in my normal manis can be covered in minutes with this quick drying, fool proof formulation. Not something you'd normally associate with a luxe polish, right?

On the nail Bronze Pyrite is a matte/metallic gold/pewter (yep, it's complex). Its subtle enough to be worn day or night and will pretty much go with every wardrobe decision (I can't be the only one weird enough to match nails to my clothes, can I?) 

We're looking at €24 for this limited edition Spring YSL shade but truly I've reached for and relied upon this polish more than any other in the past 6 weeks. Its one coat coverage, its quick drying, it’s long lasting, it’s a beaut.

Have you tried any YSL lacquers? Having dipped my talons with this one I'm definitely curious to try more. 

YSL Rouge Pur Couture The Mats: Prune Virgin for a Bold Lip Virgin

First arriving in the Autumn YSL Contemporary Amazon collection, I've been a little wary of Prune Virgin Rouge Pur Couture Mat simply because it's so dark in the bullet. I'm more a gloss or coffee coloured kisser girl. How wrong I was. 

The Mats are formulated with Jojoba oil and emollients so my concerns about Prune Virgin drying my lips were also completely unfounded. It's silky soft on application and wears as one of the most comfortable lipsticks I've used. 

Prune Virgin  (€32),Shiny & Bright on first application

YSL promise 6 hours wear with The Mats and again, I was dubious so I thought I'd give you a look at Prune Virgin on the lips 6 hours later. For Science. 

Prune Virgin 6 Hours Later

As you can see, the colour fades evenly and even after 6 hours the lips are pigmented and still soft. I did apply one swish of Kiehl's Lip Balm during that time but that was more of habit than necessity. 

Minimal makeup & bleary eyed from a 8am site visit but Lips a Poppin'!

I can safely say I'm converted. Prune Virgin is absolutely nothing like I had imagined and it's found its way right into my make up rotation. It's my ideal for early mornings, haring out the door with no time for full face application. 

What think we? Have you tried any of The Mats? Or are you Bold Lip Lover?

Spotlight on Coloured Mascaras - 5 of My Faves

I've been chancing my arm with colour lately, well, not so much my arm as my lashes and it would appear that I'm not the only one. Pixiwoo's latest video on Ombre looks featured some of the most stunning burgundy mascara I've seen (By Terry Bordeaux) and it's prompted me to show you some of my favourite colours for adding a little life to my lashes. 

TopShop Mascara in Nettle - €11.99

Although highly pigmented, Nettle is actually one of the subtlest coloured mascaras I own. My eyes are a green grey, circled with blue and this works perfectly to complement them. I pair it with Estée Lauder's Intense Kajal Crayon in Dramatic Teal on my lower waterline to up the ante and create brighter look. 

YSL Mascara Volume Effet Faux Cils in Golden Sand - €31

From the YSL Summer 2012 Swimming Pool collection, Golden Sand is the perfect colour to use as a highlight over your regular mascara choice. I use it just on the very tips of my lashes and with NYX's Sparkle Leopard for a brighter, more awake effect, almost like frosted tips but not so 80's. 

Max Factor Eye Brightening Tonal Black - €8.99

As part of the new complement of gorgeous Max Factor mascaras (more of which soon), Eye Brightening Tonal Black for blue eyes is one of the three colour choices. It uses gem tones colour beads and light reflective particles to bring subtle shine to your peepers. The effect is so quietly blue that people have asked what I'm doing differently with my eyes when all that's changed is this mascara. I'm using it with the YSL Azure Blue from the Swimming Pool collection and it's a love from me. 

Clarins Wonder Mint - €24.40

Clarin's Wonder Mint is the brightest of all my coloured mascaras and I love it long time just for that. I haven't been brave enough to use it on all of my lashes yet (Festival territory maybe?) but on my lower lashes with a slick of the Estée Lauder Dramatic Teal I adore it. It's wetter than other mascaras but once dried it doesn't budge. Gorge. 

Clarins Intense Plum Instant Definition Mascara €25.42

From the Clarins Ombre Minerals collection for A/W 2012, Intense Plum is a go to mascara for me. The brush works brilliantly for precision and definition and the colour on the lashes is so close to black that you'll only ever notice that your lashes seem more soft focus that usual. I wear this with my go to liner Avon's SuperShock in Blackberry from their Smoke and Mirrors collection. (If you don't own that liner you should rectify that situation ASAP)

And they're my picks for bringing a little colour into proceedings in your day to day make up. Are you a fan of coloured mascaras? Are there any other brands or colours I should be checking out? 

By the by, if any of
these have tickled your fancy
& you'd like to see them
on the lash (fnar fnar) just 
let me know.