REVIEW: Dreamy Curls Wavy Headband

There’s nothing that completes a look more than having a ‘good hair day’, but unfortunately a lot of the time in order to get the sleek salon look we have no choice other than to put our hair through a lot of trauma using heated hair stylers, which can cause dryness and breakage.

A curly blow-dry is my ‘go to’ when I get my hair done, so I was delighted to try ‘Dreamy Curls’ headband which allows you to get the look of a curly blow-dry without the heat of a hair curler or styler.

I regularly curl my hair using my instyler, and while at the beginning it was tricky to get the hang of, I find that the results are brilliant. Your hair is big, bouncy and the curls hold for a long time. However, it is very time consuming and in the mornings I generally wouldn’t have the time to curl my hair. So, I figured that the ‘Dreamy Curls’ headband would be a great option to achieve my favorite glam hairstyle with minimum effort. 

Using the headband is fairly straight forward. You simply pop the headband on top of your head and wrap sections of your hair around it towards the back of your head until the two sides meet. Dreamy curls also have a step by step video tutorial on their website which you can watch here.

The night before using the headband my hair was blow-dried as normal but not styled. I popped the headband on, went to sleep and in the morning applied my makeup and took it off before heading to work. One thing I will say is that if you move around in your sleep a lot the bad can slip off slightly, but once you’ve enough hair wrapped around it the bad should stay secured.

       The night before                     The next morning 

Overall I was quite happy with the results. There are three variations of the headband, and I went for the 4cm ‘Wavy’ band, which means the curls are slightly bigger and softer. It didn’t have the full impact of a curly blow-dry or instyler curls however I think my hair may have been too dry, and better results could be achieved if my hair was slightly damper. I was still really impressed though as you still get great results with no frizz and a nice bounce to your hair. It doesn’t take long at all to pop in your hair the night before and take off in the morning when you’re rushing out the door. The headband also comes with a step by step instructions booklet. 

I was sent the headband to do an honest review and I can honestly say that I would recommend it for its handiness, effectiveness and the great results that you can achieve from using the product. 

**This is a sponsored post.

Festival Fashion Fix

With summer fast approaching and the likes of Forbidden fruit, Longitude, Independence festival, Sea sessions and Electric picnic just a few months away it’s time to get inspired. The best thing about festival fashion is that anything goes, although technically that can be said about fashion in general it’s not always possible to pull off some of the more daring looks such as glitter roots or floral crowns while going about your day to day life! Here are some festival staples that will keep you looking bang on trend no matter what festival you choose to attend.             

                                                      BO HO QUEEN

For this look it’s all about outfit simplicity with statement accessories. Pairing block colors together to create a 'co-ord look' such as a white crop top with white shorts is always a winner. Choosing fabrics like lace or a crochet patterns adds subtle detail to the look. Long flowy skirts can look incredible but are not always practical unless you want it trailing in the mud... or drink that can normally be found at an Irish festival! Once you have your  basics it's all about the accessories. Just add silver jewellery, a funky belt, a hat or floral headband, wavy hair, vintage specks and your done!

                                                       ADD AN EDGE 

If you’re looking to make your outfit a bit more edgy there are some simple ways to so, do. Fishnets are huge this year. The 90’s staple has made a crazy comeback and will instantly make your outfit a bit funkier. Chokers, big rings a good hat and some cool boot all make you stand out just that bit more. Throw on some red lipstick and sunnies and the look is complete.

                                                      GLITTER BABE

The glitter trend is something that has been around for quite some time however it’s only recently that it's getting to be the norm to put it everywhere. Glitter roots were huge last year and will surely be making a comeback this year, but if glitter roots aren’t for you can add glitter to your cheekbones to create and extra dramatic highlight or put some on your collarbones to add a bit of sparkle!

I hope if you're still reading this that you've been somewhat inspired and are ready take on the festival season in style! Much love 

'Bloom Magic' Flowers

• ROMANCE SUR LA SEINE

Unless you've been living under a rock recently you've probably seen some of the unbelieveable hatbox flowers that have flooded Instagram lately for all the right reasons. A lot of these online stores unfortunately don't ship to Ireland however Bloom Magic Flowers will deliver them right to your door weather you're in Cork, Galway, Dublin or anywhere in between! 

• LES JARDINS DU LOUVRE

With Valentines day just around the corner there's really no better time to throw a few subtle hints at your significant other or simply just treat yo'self, you don't necessarily need a man to buy you flowers? Presents from me to me are generally the best ones anyway. 

• LE JARDIN DE MONET 

Bloom Magic have four collections including the 'French Parisian hatbox' collection (my favourite) as well as the 'celtic', 'classic' and 'Californian' collection so theres something for everyone. They've also put together a collection of Valentines day flowers. 

What do you guys think? let me know in the comments!
As always with love 

* This was a sponsored post 

Self Love, why you need to 'Love yo'self'

This is a different kind of post to what normally appears here on 'rachalesmode'. It's not a post  that I had planned on doing, but it is something that has been on my mind, and sitting here at my laptop  I feel that I need to share it.

In this crazy, busy world where there is so much going on it can be a little overwhelming trying to balance it all. College work, a part time job relationships, friendships and a million and one other responsibilities and pressures can sometimes get in the way of you focusing on you and doing what you love. The past month has been a real eye opener for me, there have been some changes in my life and although at the time I  thought that one of those changes was the worst thing in the world, it was actually the best thing that could have happened. I'm a firm believer that everything happens for a reason, if something doesn't work out it's because the universe has bigger plans for you, it's not the end of the world, it's just the end of an idea that you had.

The thing about self-love is knowing your worth. Something I've noticed is that I spend so much time trying to make everyone else happy that sometimes I forget that my happiness should be the number one priority. The bottom line is, love with all your heart, but love yourself first, because nobody deserves your love more than you do. When you're in your early twenties it's the time to try new things, to take the chance, to go on the adventure and to take the risk. It's the time to say 'I can't believe I did that' rather than 'I wish I had done that'.

So from me to me and to anyone else who needs to hear this; when life gets crazy take a step back, put it in perspective, see how you can deal with it and just do what makes you happy. The rest will sort itself out. So I'm dedicating this post to self love. It doesn't mean your selfish, it doesn't mean you don't care about other people, it means that you value yourself, and I can't think of anything more important than that. Take the risk, go on the adventure, make the mistake and live in the moment, because at the end of the day that's what life is about, and you only have one chance to live it.

With love 

Conceal & Contour collection 2000 palette review

Not too long ago I invested in Collection 2000's #ConcealAndLightLikeAPro palette which promises to 'conceal highlight and brighten your features'. In all I found that it does just that! I've been on the lookout for a cream contour palette for a while now and although this isn't exactly a contour palette I figured that with four shades of concealer, the darker shades would do the job! With the combination of that and colour correction shades I thought it was an absolute bargain  costing just over €10

The yellow and highlighter shades aim to brighten dark circles under the eyes. The green colour neutralises redness while the purple counteracts yellow tones and dullness. 

Overall I was really impressed with the palette. As concealers they definitely do their job. Each colour has a specific function and it definitely works! The whole 'clown contouring' became popular recently and although it seems silly I can see why it was as your face is left flawless with even tones, creating the perfect base for your foundation.  Although there are four different concealer shades I found that the texture wasn't quite creamy enough to achieve a striking yet nicely blended contour. For a more subtle look it works perfectly however in order to achieve the full Kim K look I think I might have to invest in something else a little creamer and more pigmented. 

Any thoughts on other contour/concealer palettes? Let me know! 

Fashion and fairy-tales;Met Gala 2016

One of my favourite things about this time of the year is getting to see the fabulous creations that make their way down the red carpet at the annual 'Met Gala'. Each year it takes place at the Matropolitan Museum of Art in New York City.

As a fashion lover and art enthusiast  I always feel so refreshed and inspired by the amazing designs that appear year in year out. Every year has a specific theme and this year it was themed  Manus x Machina: Fashion in an Age of Technology.

One lady, who literally outshone everyone else was Claire Danes. Her magical gown created by Zac Posen  embodies everything that is the art of fashion aided with the brilliance of technology. Her 21st century Cinderella  ensemble was just incredible! My inner nine year old was so happy so see a real life Cinderella dress, something that was such a huge part of childhood memories finally come to life.

While Danes opted for a fairytale look with a 21st century twist others opted for a more futuristic look with bold metallics, dramatic make-up and  shiny sequence. A few years ago I took part in a fashion design competition called 'Junkature'.  The outfit our team created reminded  me a lot of the crazy, futuristic and innovative  outfits that could be seen on Monday nights red carpet. You can have a look at our design here. http://rachaelsmode.blogspot.ie/2014/03/junk-kouture.html

Zoe Saldana's Dolce and Gabanna peacock-inspired gown was very like something you'd see at a Junkature fashion show, much like the winning design in 2015.

                                                                                                                                   Images: Vanityfair.com

The futuristic interpretation was also very artsy and cool. It gave guests such an opportunity to be creative and go wild with their outfits. Three of my favourites were Kendal Jenner's wiry gown, Taylor swifts fierce chrome ensemble and Beyonce's skin tight latex dress. All three are amazing in their own way. The detail of Jenner's Versace dress is just incredible. It almost looks as though wires were woven and sewed together to create wearable fashion. Swift's outfit was the most futuristic. Wearing Louis Vuitton she took on a robot-gladiator type character with silver metallic's and gladiator type strap sandals. Beyonce's peach-coloured Givenchy gown was again something unique, eye catching and equally crazy which is what makes it so brilliant. The latex type material clung to her perfectly, showing off her amazing figure. The  embellishment all over the dress was just subtle enough to bring it all together.

                                                                                                                                                                                         

                                          

Although this years Gala was more high fashion than red carpet glamour it was one of my all time favourites. In a world and society with such strict rules to adhere to it is refreshing to see difference and creativity expressed through fashion. 

What did you think of this years Met Gala? 

Let me know!

Brussels and Amsterdam photo diary

Back in February I travelled to both Brussels and Amsterdam alongside my friend Maeve to visit our  friend Emma who is currently living in Brussels on placement.  After flying to Brussels and meeting Emma we spent the evening in the city, the next day we took a bus to Amsterdam and had two days to explore. 

Being typical tourists we took the 'Dungeon's Tour', a bout trip and visited the 'Ice bar', all of which were extremely cool and well worth a visit. After spending the night in Amsterdam and wondering around for two days, we got a bus back to Brussels where we got a real feel for the beautiful City. 

In Brussels the nigh life is fantastic, the waffles are amazing and the shops are cool and quirky. We stumbled across a vintage record shop where I was able to get a really unique gift to bring back. Architecturally  Brussels is fantastic.  'Le Grande Place' is just amazing. We went at night-time and got to see it lit up and sparkling. 

Below are some photos of the highlights of our trip 

Just as we arrived in Amsterdam 

The boat trip and the Ice Bar

                            

View from the boat 

The three of us outside grand central station about to get the train and the bus back to Brussels

Serious Belgian waffles  

The quirky record shop in Brussels 

               Le grand Place

Overall it was an absolutely brilliant trip, I was only sorry I couldn't have spent longer in both Cities! I really hope I get the chance to go back to both someday soon, there's so much more that I need to see! 

All for now

 love 

The blog awards Ireland 2015

Last October I was lucky enough to attend the Blog Awards Ireland in the Tivoli Theatre thanks to Darragh Doyle who kindly put me on the guest list. Although this post is very much overdue I decided that I couldn't not share what an fantastic experience attending the awards was! 

The entire evening was just fantastic! Myself and my friend Sarah headed to the 1920's themed event where we were greeted with a glass of champaign (oh so fancy). Although I wasn't nominated for any award myself a fellow blogger and very good friend of mine was. We were delighted to be there to support her. Rachel over at ohheythererachel was nominated for both 'Best Youth Blog' and 'Best Fashion Blog' bringing home the Bronze award for Best Fashion Blog. We were honestly like proud Mammies when her blog popped up on the big screen! It was definitely the highlight of the night.

Outfit details 

Coat; Cari's Closet Malahide 

Dress: River Island 

Boots: River Island 

Bag: Micheal Kors

Earrings: River Island 

Dinner

The food was really fab. There was a choice of  three different food vendors,  Kinara Kitchen, Eathos and Home Fries. We went for the curry option and it did not disappoint!

Our lovely goodie bags

   Rachel, Myself and Sarah

Overall it was such an enjoyable night! The food the atmosphere and the entertainment were all on point and it was also such a great opportunity to meet and network with other bloggers. Rach winning the Bronze award also made the night!The Blogging community really is huge and when a group of like minded people come together the result has got to be good! Plans are already in store for next year and I'd really love to go again so we shall see! Once again apologies for my absence, I think I might have underestimated how demanding college life would be. The past few months I've been preparing for my driving test, grade 8 piano and assignments again! (no the LC is not the end) so things have been busier than I anticipated, but summer is just around the corner and I cannot wait.

So that's all for now my lovelys

Lots of love 

A/W Pinspiration

A/W style is definitely my all time favourite when it comes to fashion. I just feel there's so much more you can do with an outfit when you can add different layers and textures. Whenever I'm looking for a little style inspiration I have  a look through pinterest and so I thought I'd put together some of my favourite looks for A/W 

Chunky knits will never go out of fashion and are a staple you need in your A/W wardrobe. Not only will you be toasty you will look super stylish. Black and grays  probably  make up 90% of my wardrobe and luckily are perfect for this look.

 Denim and suede are making a comeback and are huge this A/W. There's a whole 70's vibe floating around the place at the moment that I just love, from button down skirts to high rise polo necks its all in this season.

Wearing ripped jeans and a trusty leather jacket is a personal favourite of mine. It's such a versatile look that it can be thrown on for college days or for shopping trips. Duster coats and of course scarfs are another great way to glam up an outfit, paired with a leather bag you are good to go. 

Hope you guys were as inspired as I was by these fierce looks for A/W, its made me so excited! Enjoy,

Source: All links from  my pinterest https://www.pinterest.com/rachaelmartin96/aw-style/