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? 

City West Hotel - Is it Really Worth Staying Over for an Event?

I was very lucky a couple of weeks ago & won a prize of an overnight stay at Citywest Hotel & tickets to Disney on Ice for our family. As my husband had to work I decided to brave it & bring the children myself. I always wondered what it was like to stay on site for events like this & if it was worth it. The resounding answer I decided on is... eh... NO.

We arrived for check in at about 3.30pm to be told that we had to park in the event centre car park. I advised them that I was staying at the hotel & I had young children so I wanted to park nearer the hotel in the hotel car park. Apparently nothing could be done as they closed all other car parks & I had to park there then try to negotiate my way through a huge car park of moving cars with a pram, our luggage & little hands to hold.  

Check in was crazy but the line moved fairly quickly & the receptionist was lovely. As there were so many families staying you had to book the swimming pool, which was already booked out by the time we arrived. The lobby was utter bedlam but the concierge seemed to have a handle on it.

We had stayed at Citywest Hotel before & had a great time but this time we got a room on the 5^th floor, it was a nightmare. As soon as I opened the door to our room it was like stepping into Mordor with an instant sheen of sweat on my face. I made sure the radiator was off & opened the window to allow the room to cool while we were out.

Half an hour later when I tried to exit the car park, all exits were blocked so they had to remove the barriers to allow me to leave. Corkagh Park is just 10 minutes drive from the hotel so I decided to bring the children over there to run off some of their excitement. It’s a 300 acre park with lots to do for young & old alike, including a free pet farm & playground. You can even go fishing if you fancy it.    

Later that evening after another fiasco in the car park, we got back to our hotel room & it was as hot as ever so I jumped the children into a lukewarm bath to cool them down. I fed the baby who was now down to his vest & nappy but still roasting. I gave up & called reception for a fan to be told there are no fans in the hotel. She advised that I should just put on my air con, then she said 'Oh wait you don’t have air con in that room, just open the window.' The window was tiny, but I couldn't have it open as the noise of the air con going to the other rooms was deafening with the window open & just about bearable with the window closed. She then called back to offer a change of rooms but at that stage it was after 9pm & the children were in bed trying to sleep.

Breakfast wasn’t as crazy as I would have thought but then again we went down at 7:45. The staff here were fabulous offering me help with the children, they really couldn't do enough. Breakfast itself was lovely with fresh fruit, breads & cereals on offer to complement the full Irish also available. When we got back to reception to check out it was crazy with tons of people milling about so I opted for express check out & got out of there.

We headed straight through the blue sea of little girls in Frozen dresses for the event centre to see Disney on Ice.  Prices were astronomical with a cup of frozen drink setting you back up to €12, it was also €12 for a bag of candy floss. A plastic sword was €16 while a light up twirly Olaf was a staggering €21. 

Of course me being the savvy mammy of 5, I had a bag packed with party bags I had made up before we left home which included glow sticks from Dealz. The staff in the event centre were brilliant & when they saw I was on my own with the children they moved us to a block on our own to give me more room to feed the baby during the show! The children really loved the show & it was totally different to the last Disney on Ice, even my 6 month old was mesmerised by the lights & songs. 

While I would stay in Citywest Hotel again, I certainly wouldn't stay during any event, I can imagine it might be easier if you're part of a couple but with little ones in tow, it’s just not worth it.

Have you stayed with Citywest, while there was an event on? How did you fare?

Monday's Moments ~ 13/04/15

Happy Monday, one and all! So the weather may have cooled off but you know what? We're still only in the beginnings of Spring and are hurtling toward ANOTHER bank holiday. There are so many little things to be grateful for - here's just five o' mine:

1. Finally Getting Myself a Cherry Blossom Tree!

2. Boogieing With Aoife & Orla (8) at Olly Murs 

3. Heading Out Coatless for 

the First Time This Year!

4. Implementing Facebook Changes That  Catapulted My Page to 16k Active Engaged Users FOR FREE!

5. Sitting in a Meeting & Inadvertently 

Taking a Sip of My Boss' Tea!!

So tell us, what are your Monday's Moments this week? Hmmm?

Marvel's Daredevil Hits Netflix - First Impressions

Netflix's Daredevil is NOT for kids, did we need that distinction? I mean the pilot is based around human trafficking, slavery and drug trafficking and that's putting it lightly. Not only that, but Daredevil is mental, he actually stabs people in the eyeball to get information, several times - this is the adult Marvel people have been waiting for.

Charlie Cox is brilliant as Matt Murdock, he's quiet but always looks like he's listening for heartbeats - which is one of the best things about the show. There is no blue matrix vision like in Ben Affleck's version, but you can hear what he hears and it's really, really interesting. One massive letdown for the show is Matt's co-partner in lawyering Foggy. The most accurate description of him I've read was he is Jar Jar Binks; he's cheesy and seems badly acted, and just doesn't fit in with the show, even as comic relief.

The best part of the show for me is the Daredevil fight scenes, it's shot in the more Asian style of fight scenes - in American they swing a punch and the camera cuts to the fist in their face, but in this there's no cuts from the action. One scene in the second episode Daredevil fights a corridor full of Russians, it's obviously an homage to the original Oldboy hallway fight scene, just this was done in ONE TAKE. Think The Raid levels of fight quality. 

Daredevil Season 1 is on Irish Netflix now - will you be binge watching too - let us know your thoughts!

Things That Rustle My Jimmies

Oh Lordy, Lord, this post couldn't come quickly enough this week. Things that rustled my jimmies include but are not limited to: 

1. 'Hey Was That Tweet About Me?'

2. 'I Can Get You Top Google Ranking for €399'

3. American Mother's Day PR for 'Pet Moms'

4. People Sneezing Without Covering Their Mouths

5. Cars Driving Through Empty Car Parking Spaces Then Beeping at Pedestrians They Couldn't See

Tell us, what's been raising your levels of stabbiness this week?