Holiday Beauty Preparation

Just before I jet off to warmer climes for ten days, I wanted to do a post sharing with you guys my typical holiday beauty preparation. I used to be pretty clueless when it comes to beauty, but the past few years have seen me fall in love with beauty treatments, and pampering in general. Here’s what I did in preparation for my holiday:

Lash Extentions, Brow tint & Hydration Facial | Blink & Wink, Dawson Street:

You probably know by now that I am huge fans of the team at Blink & Wink, and I’m slightly addicted to their mink and silk eyelash extensions, which I have a full review on here. I popped into them over the weekend to get my lashes re-done, my brows tinted, and for one of their amazing hydration facials. I am having a few minor problems with my skin at the moment, and the girls in Blink & Wink have been schooling me on how to better care for it. I am hoping to wear very little makeup over the course of my holiday, so having my brows and lashes looking fly really helps when you’re going barefaced!

Acrylic Nails | Gorgeous Dundrum, located beside Balally Luas stop.

Last year I went through a phase of having acrylics, which I absolutely loved, but I stopped for a while to give my poor old nails a break. I really wanted them back for my holiday, so I popped along to the girls in Gorgeous Dundrum for a fresh set. I had heard great things about this new salon, and I was really impressed with the service, and the quality of my nails. The shellac colour I chose is “Field Fox”, the most beautiful shade of mink, It’s my dream nail colour, and is perfect with a tan.

Spray Tan | Vanity Rooms, Stepaside

Since this holiday is a mix of festival and beach, I felt a little spray-tan was in order, and yesterday I popped into Vanity Rooms in Stepaside to try out their newly launched (and much hyped) “The Tan“. The salon is a girly haven, with plush pink interiors, and I had a good chat with my technician about what makes “The Tan” so special. Apparently its extremely hydrating, non-sticky after application, and doesn’t have that usual tan smell. I have to say that I agree with all this, it was a lovely tanning experience, and after I showered this morning I was left with an even, golden colour. I’m also bringing along some of their Gradual Daily Bronzer with me, to keep the colour topped up while away.

Custom Balayage/Ombre colouring | Peter Mark Salon, Grafton Street 

I’ve wanted to lighten my hair for the longest time, and so I thought the early Summer would be the best time to start. I’ve published a fill post about my little hair transformation with Peter Mark, you can read about it here.

Juice Detox | Pure Green Juices

I have never ever done any kind of diet or detox before, so I was a bit apprehensive about this one! I figured it would be a great way to kick-start my skin, and hey, if it made my tummy a bit flatter in the process, what harm. I went with Pure Green Juice’s 5-Day Detox Cleanse. I don’t struggle with my weight, so I wasn’t doing this to shed pounds, I was just curious to see the outcome on my skin. Today is my final of the 5-day cleanse, and my honest thoughts are that I found it quite difficult. I have a pretty healthy diet, including a daily Nutribullet with green vegetables and fruit, and I eat junk food in moderation, so I didn’t think it would be to difficult, but I really noticed the lack of solid food during it. Don’t get me wrong, the juices are so delicious, and I would happily substitute breakfast and lunch for them, but come dinner time I was craving something to chew on. I also found that the very idea of imposed restriction made me crave all the bad foods, foods I wouldn’t usually crave in the first place! After the 5 days I have noticed that things are a bit tighter, and my skin is definitely brighter, so the process really does yield results. Maybe I just have bad willpower, if you tell me I can’t have something that’s when I want it most. C’est la vie!

Makeup routine.

As I mentioned above, I am eager to give my skin a bit of a break on this trip. I usually wear quite heavy makeup for filming and photographic work (Estee Lauder Double Wear, BB cream underneath and power on top!) so Im going to use this opportunity to give my skin a much needed respite from all those layers. I’ve packed some light-coverage products with me, and I’ll be sure to share all the details with you guys while away.

On that note, I am flying out at 6pm this evening, and I am hosting a twitter takeover with Kildare Village before then, so I really should sign off now! Be sure to stay updated on my holiday beauty regime via my instagram and snapchat (both @ciaraodoherty.)

Happy Shopping,

Love,