**Giveaway** Real Techniques Duo Fiber Collection Reader Giveaway

Happy Friday everyone!

I've made no secret of the fact that I've been fangirling all over these Limited Edition Real Techniques Duo Fiber brushes for the past month - what I did make a secret of was the fact that I also picked up a set for you lovely readers. 

You can see what I made of the collection in this review and once that's whetted your appetite enough you can enter in the stupidly simple widget below to get your very own set of this gorgeous collection. 

This giveaway is only going to run for a fortnight (ending June 14th) so you'll have to be quick to be involved as I've something a little it special coming up in mid June (eeep!)

Again, we're open internationally this time around, so please don't hesitate to throw your name in the virtual fez. 

Thanks again for reading and visiting my little corner of the interwebz and 

Good luck everyone!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Pop Up Mani Shops in Dublin! ft Ciaté & Chanel

I do love a good pop up and when that pop up happens to be a manicure mecca then mores the better. 

This weekend sees two leading brands showcase their polishes in a very temporary fashion. 

First up Ciaté have landed in BT2 Grafton Street:

Secondly, effortlessly chic, Chanel are taking up temporary residence in Arnott's, Dublin with their LETE PAPILLON DE CHANEL Summer 2013 collection.

The Sis & I availed of Azure (green) and Bel-Argus (Blue). Stunners!!

Tell me, will you be dropping by to see what Chanel or Ciaté have for in store for Summer talons? 

Things to Make You Go LOL. Literally.

Oh hai, Thursday evening, fancy some things to make you go LOL? 

Yeah you do!

1. The Oldie Goldie John West Ad

2. This Proud Little Dude

3. The Water Bowl Prank: Ninja Edition

4. The Truth About Morgan Freeman

5. This Dog. 

What's been making you literally LOL of late?

Things That Rustle My Jimmies

It's like I've been waiting all week to get these off my chest (because I have)...

Brace yourselves, people, this won't be pretty...

1. 30 Second Youtube Ads 

YOU CAN'T CLICK OUT OF

2. 'Hi, we didn't invite you to our event last week but here's some photos of the people we DID invite to share on your site'...

3. People/Sites I've deliberately unfollowed being RT's into my timeline...

4. That one rogue eyelash that blinds you 

ALL DAY

5. Writers/Bloggers using mental health buzzwords for titles on useless articles  

PURELY FOR SEO

Ahhh, that feels SO much better - 

tell me, who and/or what's been rustling your jimmies this week then? 

Hmmm?

GlamGlow Supermud Clearing Treatment – Review

Originally designed for Hollywood's entertainment, music, fashion and award industries, Glam Glow mud treatment and now this Glam Glow Super Mud Clearing Treatment are about to make huge waves in the Irish beauty market. 

While in Hollywood it would be used as an instant pick me up for stars before they got in front of the camera back here IRL it's a 10-20 minute super mud mask packed full of acids (glycolic, salicylic, mandelic, Pyruvic) clay and natural ingredients to target, prevent and heal problem skin. 

 

I'll tell you right now that I'm going to spare you mud mask gurning faces but I've used Glam Glow Super Clearing Treatment twice so far and I've been completely blown away. The Gorgebags and I used it last Saturday week and the results for all three fizzogs was pretty phenomenal, so much so that I've had to stash this little wonder pot so that it can be rationed sensibly i.e not by gouging out as much as a teenage mitt can handle. 

 

First impressions when opening this little pot was the stark contrast between the high shine white exterior and the mucky, mucky contents. First scent to hit you is a charcoal eucalyptus and peppermint mixture (all ingredients that might aggravate sensitive skinned peeps). 

Having applied a thin layer all over our faces we waited for the magic to happen, you see the Pore-Matrix, an extreme absorption charcoal works like a mini vacuum as the mud dries, revealing tiny spots of suction to physically suck the impurities from your skin. 

It's. Awesome.  

Having waited the 20 minutes allotted, spent gurning at one another and trying not to laugh, we washed the dried Glam Glow off with warm, clean water. Instantly my skin felt brighter, tighter and the pores in my schnozzle were sparkling clean. Adam's skin was calmer and cleaner than I've seen it in quite a while and Aaron's was, well he has perfect skin, we hate him for it. 

For the following three days I caught myself doing double takes in the mirror to admire the results and I've got to say I'm sold, hook, line and sinker. I've used it once since and it's the first mask I've ever owned that I've actually counted the days down to use again. 

Glam Glow Super Mud Clearing Treatment retails for €49.99 from Feel Unique and €45 from Beauty Parlour, which may seem spendy but when you consider that this little pot of wonder has 17 full face uses or can be used as an on the spot treatment (also awesome) 1000 times then that maths just makes sense. 

This one's getting 6 large thumbs up from Casa Cherry! Have you tried it yet? 

Isa Dora Sugar Crush Nails: I'm Afraid We Can't Be Buds.

The world and his dog know it's all about textured nails this Summer with OPI proffering Liquid Sand and Zoya PixieDust to name but two brands on the bandwagon but Isa Dora Sugar Crush has something that neither of those brands do - the ability to disintegrate as soon as remover is applied. Result! 

 

Pool Crush: A bright, vibrant blue that dries to textured matte

As with all Isa Dora nail polishes the Sugar Crush range is 4-Free, that's free from formaldehyde, DBP, camphor and toluene. All great news, especially when the colour payoff is so good. 

Isa Dora Pink Crush: Magenta pink chock FULL of silver micro glitter. Dries matte & sparkly

Isa Dora Coral Crush over Pool Crush

Coral Crush reminds me so much of Frosties sweets on the nail, its bright rose gold and silver micro glitter is a sight to behold. I layered it here over Pool crush for a night on the tiles and the effect was gorgeous. 

Now the not so hot news about Sugar Crush polishes. It HATES water, I discovered this while rinsing dishes only a couple of hours after applying Pink Crush but it stands for all three colours I've tried. Once it comes in contact with water it loosens and chips within minutes. *sad face* 

That's all very well for a handy excuse to get out of doing the dishes but I've found that it chips after hand washing too. *Super sad face* 

Like Gizmo himself : Stay AWAY from the water!

Isa Dora Sugar Crush polishes come in ten gorgeous shades that truly are incredible on the nail but the fact that they chip so quickly once gotten wet means I can't in all consciousness send you out to Debenhams and all good pharmacies to part with your €9.75 without warning you first. 

Yep, they're stunners. Yep, they make perfect statement nails... but Nope, you're not going to have it on your nails for very long (unless you're a mucky pup) or you bring the bottle with you (which I do).

What think we? Have you tried Sugar Crush polishes yet? 

Cherry Link Love for #BBloggers: Your Earliest Make Up Memory

Hi all, we're back following a quick hiatus last week and this time we've a little change to the set up to level the playing field for all. 

This week we're talking memories, specifically your earliest make up memory, it's always something I love to hear about from peeps that are as passionate about their products as I am. 

I'll kick off with mine, had to be when I was 12 or 13 and beginning to experiment with foundations until I discovered the Max Factor Pan Stick - what a glorious invention that was. I proceeded to cover my entire visage in this industrial strength goop until my Dad staged an intervention. 

Telling me that he couldn't hug me tightly with a face full of makeup... 

My Dad: blurring the lines between hugs and headlocks since time immemorial but you know what? It worked. I eased up on the slap and my skin thanked him for it, even if I never did...

So tell me, what's your earliest make up memory?  - You can leave a comment below with your memory, whether it be nicking your Mam's lippie or colouring your cheeks with chalk dust... 

Be sure to leave a link to your site too so we can all visit, I reckon that'll be easier for everyone to be involved this week, ja? 

Looking forward to reading 'em! 

Monday's Moments: 27/05/13

Oh hai, Monday, fancy seeing you here... Ready to have some Moments chase your blues away? 

1. Do I Know You, Doc?..

While at the hospital with El Papito during the week his normal consultant wasn't available so we saw another. I gave him the squint eye as soon as I saw him but couldn't place where I'd met him before. 

When we sat down though I had it. My cousin is a doctor in Cork University Hospital and he'd been at his wedding in Killarney last year. I had to say it and even though I left out that my distinct memory of him was drunkenly dancing on tables and offering to buy drinks, he still went beetroot red. Ah, Doc. 

(El Papito got a great kick out of that I needn't tell you).

2. Furry Friends

If you follow me on Instagram you'll know that a new little fuzzball came to live in casa Cherry a couple of weeks back. 

I was a little hesitant to introduce him to Diesel immediately for fear of total carnage. That's why I'm thrilled to report that their the furriest of friends. Yes, D has a problem with the moggy getting the cushiest seat in the house and yes play 'cat and mouse' but they're getting along famously and we're thrilled!

3. The World is Your Lobster

This fine hunk of junk graduated this week, can you believe it? Because I certainly can't. I didn't let the mammy side down though and blubbed plenty through the ceremony just thinking about how far we've come. 

He's a handsome young devil (I know I'm biased) and nothing gives me greater pleasure than to tell him that his entire life is ahead of him, the possibilities are endless as long as he wants it badly enough. See? I'm sniffling again...

4. Snared. Caught Rapid. 

source

I've been keeping up with my lunchtimes walks in the park. I'm up to 9.5k a day, which kicks ass but have been relying on music to keep me going and my new Tinchy Stryder earphones. 

Little did I realise they cancel out ALL OTHER SOUND. So while hot footing it through the forest singing 'I wear your Granddads clothes, I look incredi-BULL' in my best baritone, it was only when a bewildered jogger passed me out WITHOUT headphones that I realised I'd been singing loudly. Scarlet!!

5. Just TELL ME

source

Finally, Moment five is unfolding as you read. Turns out I may be dating the most romantic dude ever but because we've been together for 8 months this weekend and because he's been working stupidly hard - we're away for a few days. 

He refuses to tell me where, only to bring togs and that it's 3.5 hours from Dublin. By the time you read this I'll be there, if it turns out to be Trabolgan, I'll also be up for murder...

So do share, what's the happy haps in your neck of the woods this week? Hmmm? 

Cherry Pick of the Week: David Guetta - Play Hard ft Ne-Yo & Akon

David Guetta has some ear for the samples, right? 

I'm not sure if it's my never ending love for 90's dance or the fact that Alice Deejay was one of my favourites at the time but Play Hard has been on a constant loop in my noggin this week. 

It managed to push me through the 4th lap when rain was threatening and then refused to leave my head for the rest of the week. 

Tell me, what choon are you loving of late? 

The Big Wedding - Movie Review

Only once before has a movie bombed so badly that I couldn't even bring myself to format a review, that was Friends with Kids and seriously - this review could almost be a reprint. 

At first glance the cast is bursting at the seams with talent and not since the atrocity above have I seen talent like this wasted so tragically. Likewise the two hours of my life that I'm never getting back. 

The Big Wedding purports to be a slapstick, ensemble comedy - all the elements are there, there's even moments of family honesty that give the audience a glimmer of hope but it never progresses past a vulgar, thrown together 'boink'fest. Lazy one dimensional trash. 

I'm no prude by any means but when every joke, every scene and every character plot is based on crudity with no nuance and no feeling then what, dear movie lovers, is the point? 

Genuinely wish I'd walked out - wish DeNiro did too. 

Tell me, have you ever disliked a movie this much? 

Things That Rustle My Jimmies

It's Thursday, jimmies have been rustled, need I say more? 

Oh hells yeah!

1. When Someone Repeatedly Mispronounces a Word

('Pacifically' specific) 

2. Walking Back to the Office When the Sun is Splitting the Stones

3. Making Polite Small Talk with Your Nemesis

4. People That Chew With Their Mouths Open

5. When Someone 'Borrows' Your Good Pen

So tell moi, what's been rustling your jimmies this week then? 

Real Techniques Limited Edition Duo Fiber Brush Collection - Review!

I mentioned at the start of the month that I'd managed to bag the Real Techniques Limited Edition Duo Fiber brush collection for a bargainous €11.36 WITH delivery from iHerb.com. 

They arrived at my office 7 days later so how have we been getting on since then? 

'Duo Fiber' brushes aren't duo fibre at all - They're just synthetic

First impressions of this collection is how sparse the hairs are in comparison to regular Real Techniques brushes (some of my all time favourites).  The handles are white aluminium with this collection, making them lighter to use, it also means they stand out in a sea of black handles. 

I was a little dubious as to how effective they'd be once I realised that their density was lacking but pleasantly surprised that they add a new dimension to my make up collection for that very reason. 

First up the Face Brush is ridiculously soft and the sparsely held synthetic fibres make the ideal brush for finishing powders when setting your make up. 

The powder seems to be drawn to the fibres as tapping the brush doesn't release the excess yet when applied to the face you still manage to get an airbrushed effect as the powder skims over the skin. 

The Contour Brush is more densely packed than the Face Brush but as you can see reacts similarly with powder. Flatter than most contour brushes this fits into the hollow of the cheeks (I have them, honest) and buffs contouring colours beautifully. 

I've also used this one for blush and the effect is the same, airbrushed loveliness. 

As I've said the original Real Techniques brushes are some of my all time favourites, not least because of their eye collection but this feathery soft Duo Fiber Eye Brush is an absolute cracker for blending out and crease work. 

Again, the brush is shaped perfectly so that it sits on the crease of the eyelid and sweeps across gently. The trick here I've found is to let the brush do the work for you. Add more layers of shadow for a deeper pigment but never more than gently press onto the skin. 

So overall would I advise you pick these up? Abso-lutely. I have nothing like them in my collection and I don't imagine you do either. Handcut and 100% cruelty free, there's not a lot not to like. 

I'll go back to the main clincher though, these are professional quality brushes for a pittance in price. My order came from iHerb.com, they've given me a share code for all first time orders RLL469 that will get you between $5-$10 dollars off your order. Of course if you wanted to stock up on other bits that'd be your chance to do so as the site appears to be full of bargains. I stopped looking - pesky kids and their need to eat every day (selfish). 

If you've managed to bag a set of this collection I'd love to hear your thoughts?