Sundari Spa (Killarney Plaza Hotel) - not your usual spa experience

I haven’t blogged for some time.  More regular readers (are there any left?  If so, thanks for sticking with me!) will be aware of my house-hunting woes;  without going into details or starting down a pity-me spiral, suffice it to say the last ten-going-on-eleven months have been... difficult.  There’s finally a light at the end of the tunnel and it’s starting to look like things are going to work out now - all for the better.  That said, living out of boxes, in relations’ houses, and hotels, hasn’t been easy, and I’ve really not been in a blogging space for some time.

So although it’s going to be another few months before I do get back to “normality” and start blogging afresh, I really did want to break my silence to wax lyrical about a fantastic experience I had over the weekend at the Killarney Plaza Hotel, in the relatively-new Sundari Spa there.  My challenge will be not to gush too much actually!

Clarisonic Nautical Summer Collection - Promo & Giveaway!

Clarisonic Mia 2 in pink!  Just in time for summer!

So... some good news.  Combining things I like - the summer, the colour pink, freebies, giveaways, celebrations, limited edition things... I can promote the news that there's a fab new LE Clarisonic Mia2 on the way, in time for the Summer as part of their Nautical Summer Collection, and it comes in two colours - help yourself either to a Faded Rose or a Sunwashed Peach version, and of course is every bit as fantastic as the "usual" Clarisonic Mia (as you can see from this post, the lovely ArtyMama raved about hers!)

Jurlique Citrus Hand Cream - review

For today's Monday with MontyC, I wanted to introduce you to one of my longstanding obsessions;  handcream, and a particular brand I'm loving.  I am somewhat besotted with handcream in general;  I have tubes of the stuff absolutely everywhere, sitting room, bedroom, handbag, office desk, office drawer, other office drawer, other handbag... :-).  I honestly believe that I have the driest hands in this side of the equator - they can get so dry that the skin on my fingers peel.  Yuck, right!?  So I apply the stuff liberally, multiple many times a day to avoid this happening.  When a very dear friend of mine gave me the Jurlique Citrus Hand Cream as a gift, says I, bring it on...

MontyC's Winter Skincare Saviours

For today's Mondays with MontyC, I want to tell you all about my absolute favourite winter-time skincare products.  It seems like it has been a long winter... our skin puts up with a lot during the dichotomy of the biting cold oudoors and piping hot homes and offices indoors.  To counter this, I fall back on some really brilliant products.  I could have picked a lot more out than I did but in the end, I decided to narrow it down to my three top-notch, hands-down, works-every time, absolute winners when it comes to the skincare products that I've been using over the winter months... I do realise we're coming into Spring now but maybe these might help you out next year!

NARSissist Dual Intensity Eyeshadow Palette - review

For Today's Mondays with MontyC, I'm sharing my love of a recent birthday gift... the NARSissist Dual Intensity Eyeshadow Palette,  When it comes to present buying my family, we make life easy and tell each other what it is we want!  So as requested, this palette appeared on my birthday from my siblings, together with a lovely bottle of wine.  Happy girl, me!

Dr. Hauschka Cleansing Cream - review

Although lately I try to stick to one range of products for my skincare routine, I feel I have a little more wiggle room with my cleanser.  I have a lot of cleansers.  Different types for different tricks, different moods.  One of my favourites is this one, the Dr. Hauschka Cleansing Cream.  It is something of a genuine champion for stressed-out skin.  I tend to crack it out when my skin has been Winterised (it’s a thing) or if I’ve been poorly.   It takes care of me, or, my skin at least.

Clarins Instant Concealer - review

For today's Mondays with MontyC, I'm talking about what has fast become my go-to favourite concealer, Clarins Instant Concealer.

Competition: 2 nights stay at Faithlegg House Hotel

Quick one before I'm heading away for a much needed break...

Calling all brides and grooms! Mrs2Be wedding site are offering the chance to win a competition for a 2 night stay at Faithlegg House Hotel (gorgeous place, my neck of the woods!) including dinner for one of the nights.  All you have to do is:

• complete a survey here
• mention on the questionnaire that I referred you too!

Simples!  This survey is completed each year and last year's results are here if you're interested.

Back next week with some more blog posts.  Happy St. Patrick's day to you all for next week!

Oskia London Renaissance Cleansing Gel - Review

My name is Catherine and I'm a cleansing nut.  Why?  Because cleaning your skin properly is one of the best things you can do for your skin.  To clean your face properly, all you need is a face cloth and a decent cleanser.  Cleansers come in every texture you can think of so go with whichever one you like the best.  My favourite textures for my dry skin are creams and balms, and for today's Mondays with MontyC, I'm reviewing a cleanser that was a new discovery for me late last year, Oskia London Renaissance Cleansing Gel.

Giorgio Armani Privé Pivoine Suzhou - review

If you've been near Brown Thomas lately, then you won't have avoided getting a whiff of this gorgeousness before you've even reached the Beauty Hall; Giorgio Armani Privé's latest EdT.  Called Pivoine Suzhou (yes, I haven't the faintest idea how to pronounce it either), this is the latest addition to “Les Eaux” collection and supposedly the first Armani Privé fragrance to be inspired by the gardens of Asia.

Crème de la Mer The Treatment Lotion - review

Oh look, I know I'm a CDLM junkie, but seriously, this is the first thing since my Chanel Trio, which in turn was the first thing since my very first introduction to (Crème de) La Mer, all those year ago, that really made a huge, noticeable, tangible difference to my skin.

The (relatively) new Crème de la Mer Treatment Lotion is one of those rare things in skincare;  it does what it says.  Ok, you can ignore the bumpf on the CDLM site about it being a "miraculous source of vitality" or that it's like "liquid energy".  How and ever, a drop-and-a-bit of this each day really helps.

Clarins Instant Light Lip Comfort Oil - Review

MontyC here and I've got a right little gem for you this week here on Planet Make Up For Dolls!  Take a look at this - it's the Clarins Instant Light Lip Comfort Oil, the newest addition to the Instant Light range (I'm never without the amazing Instant Light Lip Perfector) and what a fantastic addition it is too.  This was released as part of the Garden Escape (Spring 2015) Collection from Clarins a couple of months ago.

Me 'n my Clarisonic Mia2

Hello everybody, and a very belated Happy New Year to you all!  (With apologies from The Ed;  I'm only after now getting around to posting this!)  I've been meaning to write a review of my Clarisonic Mia for quite a while now.  I had heard a few rave reviews from others about how amazing this wonderful little gadget is, and I was intrigued by the term "facial sonic cleansing", and I wanted one.  Knowing it was a bit on the pricier side than I'm usually happy about spending on my face, I was deterred, but one day when shopping in Debenhams with my husband I came across a lovely boxed set at the Lancôme counter which included the Clarisonic Mia2, a pLink charger, a travel case, a sensitive brush head, a small tube of Clarisonic cleansing gel and a full sized tube of Lancôme Gel Éclat (which I've reviewed already over here), all for a bargain-busting €149... sure why not so (Mr. ArtyMama insisted, sure he's great so he is).

YSL Beauty, Google Glasses & Brown Thomas Dublin - weird but interesting collaboration!

Now here's something verrrrrry cool which appeals to both the Makeup Nut and the Geek in me.

Although the Google Glass project has, as far as I'm aware, been cancelled, there are still prototypes lying around and this is a particularly clever collaboration between Yves Saint Laurent Beauté and Google Glass - a "bespoke makeup tutorial experience", available exclusively at Brown Thomas Dublin as part of their Spring Beauty Event this year.

This "complete retail experience" aims to capture makeup application through the eyes of the professional (so presumably the MUA wears the Google Glasses), allowing the person having their makeup done to benefit from the perspective of the makeup artist later on - footage of the makeover is recorded, along with a before-and-after shot, advice and the step-by-step tutorial of the personalised makeup experience.  This highly customised video footage is later emailed to the customer, along with their tutorial footage, and (even more clever) the list of suggested (YSL Beauté, natch!) products used with direct links to buy (presumably from the Brown Thomas website).

This is a genuinely clever example of a clever use of a technology for which there really weren't any hard requirements, it really was a "solution without a problem" to-date, technology for its own sake really.  I'm liking this.  I am going to book in.  It's from 11th March I believe and in BT Dublin only to my knowledge.  Fred Letailleur (YSL's North European makeup brand ambassador is on-counter on 10th March for a series of masterclasses and 11th March for the Irish unveiling of Google Glasses for Yves Saint Laurent Beauté.  Appointments will cost €35, but they're redeemable against purchase on the day.

Am intrigued!

Caudalie Vinosource Overnight Recovery Oil - Review

And... we're back!

MontyC returning here after MUFD took a little break... although things are not "normal" right now, they're a bit more stable, at least!  So - back to some blogging, finally, thank goodness!

Today I'm looking at the wonderful French brand Caudalie, and from them a skin oil... a definite recommend, especially if your skin is parched at this time of the year, running from cold weather into central heating all of the time, and rapidly becoming one of my favourite products ever...

Current State Of The Nation

millions of boxes.. boxes for me...

I am from a broken home.

No, that's not right.  My home is broken.  Nope.  My hope is broken.  Nope, not that either.  So why the long silence?  Bless me father, it has been one month since my last blog post...

For the purposes of this post, please do assume that you're going to come across some swear words.  And feel free to read "stuff" as "schtuffff", as I have been pronouncing it in my head the entire way through.