AW17 Hair Trends with Viviscal

I've raved about Viviscal a lot in the past. Like, A LOT. I credit it for my naturally fine and thin hair suddenly being labelled as thicc by hairdressers as of a couple years ago. Shortly after this blog became a fashion and beauty blog, Viviscal was one of the first beauty brands I started working with. I began a round of their supplements and (now discontinued) serum and my hair was changed forever.

Viviscal quickly became my favourite haircare brand and I work with them frequently. Recently, I came away from an event with more supplements and they went into my samples pile for later perusal. When a good friend told me that she was having trouble with her hair due to stress caused by a very bad work situation, I immediately offered the supplements to her and she, too, came to swear by the brand. And, so, when I was told I could bring a plus one to their latest event, I instantly asked Kim along. It was a fashion showcase of hairstyles taken from AW17 runway shows and one of the best organised and most elegant events that I've been to in a while. 

We arrived at the beautiful event space upstairs in the Cliff Town House, which was flooded with late evening light streaming through the big Georgian windows and grabbed some very pretty pink gin concoctions. Arriving with someone was a nice change for me as I don't mind flying solo at events (I often do or only pop in and out to fit them into my schedule) but can sometimes spend the whole thing watching the door and waiting for someone I know to arrive, while I stand in a corner, stuffing my face. This time I had a partner in stuffing my face!

Then came the actual show, done by the team at Brown Sugar and lead by their founder, Mark O'Keeffe. It featured looks from the AW17 shows of the likes of Chanel, Balmain, Paul & Joe, Jeremy Scott, Versace, Balenciaga and Prada. All of the looks themselves were actually fairly simplistic. However, the health and shine of the hair, however, were more important and the key to their success. There could be no better brand to present them, therefore, than Viviscal.

One of my personal favourites was the Regal Pony, as had been showcased at JW Anderson and Alexander McQueen. A long, sleek and exceptionally equestrian pony that must be neatly slicked back, the Viviscal Densifying Elixir proves to be an essential in its construction as it is perfect for taming fly-aways and smoothing the hair. Another look that caught my eye was a loose mid-length waves hairstyle, that reflected what was seen at Balenciaga, Prada and Céline, among others. Pretty but casual, it is a look that is all about an easy-breezy appeal that is anything but easy achieve for me but probably not so hard for others - heated tools and I don't hang out very often so I'm not very good with them. But, if you have been using or are going to use heat on your hair, Viviscal supplements and products are really useful for maintaining the strength and health of it. Natural hairstyles dominated runways and the best way to have naturally beautiful hair, is to take care of it. 

I often like products but I rarely swear by them, however, I readily swear by Viviscal. It really, really works and while trends come and go, healthy hair is always stylish. Check out the pictures below for AW17 hairstyle inspiration but check out Viviscal's range of products for better hair x

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Meeting the Designers Behind Cult Fashion Brand RIXO London At Brown Thomas

RIXO London is a young brand that has managed to already develop a fevered following and seems to have a knack for quickly capturing new fans with a single garment. So much so, in fact, that when Irish stylist Courtney Smith posted a photograph of herself wearing one of their dresses on Instagram it almost instantaneously sold out.

That was my personal introduction to the brand and I recall thinking that it was a beautiful dress but not something that suited tomboyish types like myself. I thought, "I sometimes wish I was that girl." But it turns out I was wrong. I am that girl, if I want to be, because RIXO have the everywoman in mind. They are all about creating cool, vintage-inspired clothes that flatter and work for all sorts of different women. Garments can be worn different ways and combined with other pieces in your wardrobe to make them very much your own; a wrap dress, for example, can be worn solo with daring slits, or open as a wafting robe, or over jeans for a cool layered look. RIXO's woman is not one single target demographic but, rather, all sorts of gals of different ages, shapes and lifestyles. While you will see the brand touted by the coolest It Girls of Instagram, they, alone, are not the only ones who can enjoy the brand.

RIXO was founded in 2015 by London College of Fashion alumni Henrietta Rix and Orlagh McClosky who, at the time, were buyers for ASOS. The two met while they were in college and quickly bonded over a shared love of vintage clothing. They found themselves spending most weekends together, trawling through vintage sales around the UK and unearthing gems. Others professed a love for their finds and they began reselling clothes online. When they found customers despairing that everything was a once-off and gone when it was gone, they got the idea to start their own vintage-inspired label.

Since its beginnings two years ago, the brand has seen a meteoric rise and is now stocked in Net-a-Porter and many boutiques around the world, including our very own Brown Thomas; which is where I got to see them discuss their label, its origins, rise and motivations, a couple of weeks ago. Irish-born McClosky, in particular, professed to have been touched to see her own clothes stocked in the Irish fashion powerhouse and informed us that they even made a limited print that is only available in BT.

A love of pattern is key to the brand and the two designers often create their own prints, reimagining their popular silhouettes - including the Moss Blouse, Camellia Dress & Orlagh Blouse - season after season by reproducing them in different prints. Another core value that they stressed is the use of high-quality fabrics and the wonderful construction of the clothes. While these are not actually vintage pieces, they are made to ape the quality of old: they are made to last. And though the price point is a good deal higher than your standard high street pieces, it is not unattainable, providing investment pieces that will never truly go out of style. The pair really do consider how women dress and shop and how to make pieces that will be true assets to a wardrobe.

It's hard to balance cool, sexy and timeless in a brand but, somehow, RIXO are doing it and doing it well. I'm pretty excited about their attitudes to design and consumption and the garments themselves and really can't wait to see what they do next. And it really seems that the sky's the limit with further forays into accessories already in the pipeline.

Thanks to Irish Tatler for the wonderful morning of lovely clothes and people x

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Brunch With Kilkenny And New Irish Design For AW17

A couple of weeks ago I was invited to brunch at Residence with Kilkenny to view their AW17 collections. As I love brunch and have fond childhood memories of Kilkenny, I was pretty excited. When I realised I was sitting with editors from some of my favourite Irish magazines and a blogger I had interacted with before but had never met IRL, I was even more excited. Our table was completed with one of the brand's buyers who explained all about their choices and ideas during the show, which was excellent, giving us a really insight into where Kilkenny is going.

Kilkenny is known for their occasionwear and has been a stalwart provider of outfits for stylish Irish women in a slightly older age bracket. Moving forward, they are aiming to keep these loyal, and discerning, customers happy, while also targeting a younger audience and more day-to-day needs. Two new casual brands Beaumont and 10 Feet (available in Galway and Swords only) have been introduced and while Kilkenny showed picks from Fossil and Guess, they reaffirmed their constant commitment to Irish design with pieces from the likes of Fee G and Caroline Kilkenny.

When it comes to the actual look that Kilkenny are all about this season, there's good news: it;s cute and cosy. Seventies florals and bold colours from hot pink to bottle green to maroon abounded and layering with stylish jackets, casually tossed scarves and light knits was key. For special events, there was a nice sprinkle of some structured, interesting alternatives to the standard dresses that were also shown, such as the maroon belted jumpsuit that everyone was swooning over. With pieces to appeal to all sorts of age groups, styles and lifestyles, there really is something for everyone now. Would I have liked some slightly bolder and more surprising aesthetic choices thrown in there? Sure. But, for now, Kilkenny is striding into the future in a way that I can totally get behind.

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Why you NEED to visit the Voya Seaweed Baths & Spa in Standhill!

A while ago, maybe a year or so, I got invited to a Voya press day at their Seaweed Baths & Spa in Strandhill, Sligo. As it was on a random Wednesday evening and I don't drive, there was no way to the other coast of Ireland and back in a day. I had to miss it, which seriously bummed me out. Strandhill is where the brand was born, as a seaweed bath, long before it was a line of cosmetics, and, as a fan of the brand, I've always wanted to visit.

Seaweed Baths were once a common fixture of Irish seaside towns and, in the early 20th century, there were 9 in the small town of Strandhill in County Sligo alone. However, during the 50s and 60s, these fell out of vogue and, eventually, closed down. Then, in 1996, the Voya (then Celtic) Seaweed Baths was opened under the Walton family, reviving local tradition and combining it with a love for organic treatments. Since then, Voya expanded into production as well as treatments and has grown as a brand with a cult following. Its line of skincare products are stocked in stores and spas all around the globe and the baths are now a popular tourist attraction and spa that attracts 40,000 people to the area each year.

Fresh seaweed is harvested every day to be used at the spa for traditional seaweed baths and this remains one of their most popular treatments. While you can get all sorts of massages and facials and treatments, I really wanted to see what all the fuss about these baths was. I'm a massive fan of the Voya line of products and have always seen a visible difference in my skin when using them. I was curious to see what effect a treatment using pure seaweed would have, given that all of their products use it as a base. Seaweed baths are said to remove toxins from the body and accelerate the healing process and as I'm a clumsy individual with dry skin prone to hormonal breakouts (and I was in the midst of a bad one), that sounded good to me.

My college bestie and I decided to make the trip over to Strandhill but couldn't find a place to stay in the village (between the surf schools and spa, it's a popular spot), so we stayed in nearby Sligo Town. On the Saturday, we cycled the 10km to Strandhill, grabbed brunch on the seafront and then went for our seaweed baths. Let me just tell you, if you're looking to relax, cycling around Sligo, fresh sea air and good food and company is the perfect recipe.

We were already happy and full going into the treatment but when we got to our double room and got into the process of climbing gingerly into our tubs, we got giddy. The seaweed is even slimier than you are imagining, as it is in a small, controlled body of water and getting the temperature right for your own tastes involves a lot of squealing, laughing and dipping toes in and out. However, once we'd gotten into the water and used to the texture (and pretended to be swamp monsters by putting seaweed on our heads), the giddiness eventually dissipated and all that was left was being toasty and cosy.

I will say, however, that if you're like me and cannot stand having a warm head, the process can be a little uncomfortable at times and I wasn't able to completely relax. But, if you're one of those people who can sleep fully underneath covers, you'll be in heaven.

After we got out and got dressed (forgoing showers to let those good seaweed juices to soak into our hair and skin), we both felt soft and happy but it wasn't until days later that I really saw the effects of the bath. I've been having excellent hair days for over a week (despite several days where I couldn't brush it properly due to having given myself a minor head injury) and my skin is glowing. Those breakouts I was bitching about? They are well on the way to being completely healed. And my overall skintone is more even and happy. This may also have something to do with the fact that I bought a Voya moisturiser while I was at the spa and have been using it every day since but, either way, the proof is in the pudding (or smooth skin): seaweed is freaking magical. Seriously. I think I'm sticking with my Voya moisturiser this time because I had missed it - the occupational hazard of being a beauty blogger and testing new shit all the time is limited loyalty to products, I guess, but there is a reason I still think of this guy and mentally cheat on other moisturisers...

Anyhoo...if you find yourself out West and are looking to relax and try out a traditional beauty experience, I can't recommend this highly enough! It's only a pity that spas that offer seaweed baths in Dublin absolutely rip you off (whereas we paid 27 quid each), or I'd do it on the reg.

P.S. Sligo is more gorgeous every time I'm there...

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Note: This post is not sponsored in any way, shape or form and all opinions are my own.

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Create 2017 At Brown Thomas

Create is an annual showcase of Irish designers and Irish design that takes place in Dublin's leading luxury department store, Brown Thomas. In its seventh year, Create has always presented wonderful designers, both upcoming and established, in a beautiful setting but the display this year is particularly lovely; black and white palm leaf wallpaper, sprawling greenery (how trendy), neon signs (how very trendy) and white looping geometric rails.

Showcasing the work of 22 designers this year across ready-to-wear, accessories, scarves, jewellery, millinery and interiors, the display is curated by Brown Thomas Fashion Director Shelly Corkery and features beloved established Irish designers such as Mariad Whisker, Helen Cody and Úna Burke, as well as newcomers such as the recent NCAD grads Colin Burke and Laoise Carey.

My own personal highlights, however, have to be Domino Whisker's cute and tongue-in-cheek embroidered collars, badges and framed images and the beautifully crisp, modernised tradition of 31 Chapel Lane's linen clothing.

The showcase remains on display on the first floor of the Grafton Street store until the 13th of August 2017 and it is well-worth popping in to check it out.

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