Rest & Relaxation at Vanilla Browns

December has been a very hectic month between work, finishing up my course and just life in general. I decided I really needed a spa day Christmas week so I booked in to Vanilla Browns at The Absolute Hotel in Limerick. Just what the doctor ordered! I headed in on my day off  and was stressed up to my eyeballs as I was also handing up my final course assignment that day. The girls in Vanilla Browns somehow managed to get me to forget about life for a few hours. I left feeling relaxed, rejuvenated and ready for Christmas! For my treatments I chose to have a hot stone back massage, a facial and also visited their hair salon where I was treated to a hair treatment and a curly blow dry.

Escape Spa @ Vanilla Browns

The spa is located on the first floor of The Absolute hotel which is situated in Limerick city centre. 

The Absolute Hotel, Limerick

Upon entering it is not like your typical day spa. Both the spa and the hair salon have a shared reception area so it is a bit more bustling then you would expect. I was seated while I filled out a form regarding my health, skin condition etc. I was also given a heated cloth to warm my hands which was a lovely touch on a chilly day! 

The spa manager Kelly introduced me to my therapist and I was guided to the treatment room. The spa itself is actually a lot bigger than I had expected and the treatment room was gorgeous. The therapist gave me a few minutes to settle in before returning for my hot stone massage. It was absolutely heavenly! I was able to completely zone out and enjoy the experience. I had some tenderness in my shoulders for a couple days after but I feel like a new woman now! Would definitely recommend this treatment for those who carry tension around their shoulders and also for pure relaxation. 

Hot stone massage

My second treatment of the day was a facial. Firstly my therapist assessed my skin and chose products accordingly. To be quite honest with you I am unsure what steps were to follow as I dozed off! My skin was glowing afterwards and felt so hydrated. 

After my beauty treatments I spent some time in the relaxation room. I was presented with a little dessert and fresh water while I continued to unwind in the candle lit suite. Just as I was on the verge of snoozing again my hair stylist for the day, Rachael, guided me to the salon. She first started by shampooing my hair before applying a treatment. I was then seated under a dryer for a few minutes while the solution got to work. She then worked her magic! My hair is quite dry and gets knotty quite easily but Rachael managed to give me a lovely soft and smooth finish with plenty of volume and bounce.

 This salon also has one of the best views in Limerick by far! You are literally suspended above the river while getting your blow dry and it definitely beats staring at a blank wall any day! The spa manager Kelly, informed me that the group were at the early stages of rebranding and were very excited for the coming months. I cannot wait for my next visit to Vanilla Browns and I'm sure that following their rebrand the spa and salon will be absolutely fabulous. If you are planning a girly break or perhaps a valentines getaway why not have a look at their website http://vanillabrowns.com Also, anyone planning a night out over the remainder of the festive period, Vanilla Browns are currently offering an up style and makeup application for just €35.

Vogue Gold Fashion Night Out

Those of you who follow me on social media will know that on my recent visit to London I had the opportunity of attending Vogue's Gold Fashion Night Out. Vogue run a few of these nights each year and it is pretty much a huge shopping party! The Gold event took place in The Village at Westfield, London City which is the designer wing of the shopping centre. I can honestly say the night was amazing! Even my boyfriend, who had been sceptical to begin with, really enjoyed himself. 

The event was due to kick off at 6.30 pm sharp. Despite arriving ahead of time and queuing for around half an hour I unfortunately didn't manage to get a goody bag but I still received my Vogue Gold Card which meant I could gain entry to the various events and avail of the fantastic discounts on offer. As soon as we entered The Village we were greeted by lots of very glamorous fashionistas waiting to register for the event. The registration desks were even set up beautifully and adorned with large vases of fresh flowers. A DJ was playing live in the centre of the mall and the atmosphere was fantastic, it really put me in the Christmas spirit! 

After registration we decided to check out the luxury goods on offer. Stores such as Louis Vuitton, Tiffany & Co, Ted Baker, House of Fraser and Kurt Geiger all participated. Our first port of call was Kurt Geiger. There was a waiter handing out complimentary Bellinis and little miniature cupcakes to all of the fashionistas in attendance. You could also have your footwear fortune told, yes really!!! There was also a manicurist on hand, see what I did there?! After a browse around I decided to pick up a Christmas gift and was delighted to receive my discount with my Vogue Gold Card. 

Our next stop was House of Fraser who also happened to be in the middle of a 3 day event, so the reductions here were fantastic. Absolut Vodka had a bar set up at the rear of the store and one of their mixologists prepared us a delicious cocktail, it tasted like those really sour cherry sweets from when you were a kid! There was also staff handing out oeurs d'oeuvres as the live dj set took place. You could also get your face on your very own Vogue cover here! Every store really participated and encouraged the customer to spend with them. Some of British Vogue's editors in beauty and fashion were also pressent on the night to pass on their knowledge to curious readers. The evening also marked the launch of Naomi Campbell's Fashion For Relief pop up shop. The shop was open for one week only and filled with goods from designers and celebrities. 100% of all profits were going towards fighting Ebola. The woman herself even attended on the night! After browsing the shops for a couple of hours we decided to have a little treat at Searcy's Champagne bar before returning to our hotel. 

The night itself was very well organised and appeared to run very smoothly. I will definitely be attending a Vogue event again but next time I'll be arriving super early to make sure I get a goodie bag!

To bleach or not to bleach...

When I first saw this trend it was on the runway and Kendall Jenner instantly springs to mind, having to wear this look while modelling for both Marc Jacobs and Givenchy. 

As part of a runway show, I get it. It's very high fashion and brings a uniformity to each model in the show, like they are an army of eyebrow less, willowy creatures sent from space a few times a year to participate in fashion week. 

As with all trends these looks eventually filter down to the celebrity world and eventually us mere mortals will give it our best shot. This is where the problem lies! I am the eyebrow queen, I love them! The thicker and darker the better for me. I could go weeks without touching my brows and that's fine by me. Even after I have applied my makeup I will always go along and touch up my already strong brows because in my opinion a good brow is crucial in framing your entire face. Lots of us regular girls aren't blessed with the high cheek bones, strong jaw lines and full lips of those supermodels. We need something to compensate, a defining feature on our face. Eyebrows!!! 

It's fine for the likes of Kim K to experiment with this look her face is like something sculpted by a renaissance artist and Miley can get away with just about anything because she is Miley! This is just one of those trends that I cannot deal with. I will let you girls make up your own minds however and if you are interested in achieving the look I do have some tips for you.

 Unless you have another very striking facial feature such as high cheek bones or pillowy lips avoid this trend, you will look like an alien! Do not under any circumstances use the same peroxide you would use to bleach your head! Use a facial bleach which will be much milder and cause less damage to your brows and less irritation to your skin. Please, please, please be careful of your peepers, you only have one set and if you can get someone else to help you! Let's see if this one catches on!

Kim's bestie dishing up beef!

Uh ohhh! There seems to be a new Hollywood feud brewing between Kim Kardashian or rather her bestie Jonathan Cheban and ex glee actress Naya Rivera. 

The controversy comes on the heels of the release of Kim's Paper magazine cover. 

Naya left a not so nice comment under Kim's Instagram post and Jonathan was none too pleased! 

He took to his website thedishh.com to slate the young Hollywood starlet claiming that she has been desperately trying to befriend Kim and do business with her to no avail. 

It does sort of seem that Naya is morphing into the KUWTK star of late. 

We'll have to see how this story develops! What do you guys think of Naya's comment?

What I Wore- Vintage Glam

Yesterday was probably my first Saturday in nearly a year that I wasn't working! (Gotta love retail!) Having a weekend off in such a novelty so I really had to make the most of it. My boyfriend took me out for dinner and so I spent the day getting all glammed up! Recently, I have been really inspired by vintage fashion. I think particularly at this time of the year in the lead up to Christmas it is lovely to indulge in some extra glam and take advantage of the flattering, ladylike silhouettes of years gone by. My inspiration for last night's glam was a little bit Dita Von Teese a little bit Mad Men! 

I purchased my animal print wiggle dress on asos a few weeks ago and was quite nervous about wearing this style. As soon as I tried it on I fell in love! I feel that this dress would do wonders for any body type. It has a high, nipped in waist which gives a gorgeous hourglass shape. There is extra volume at the hips which could give a slim girl the appearance of  a curvaceous figure but the extra fabric here will also conceal a multitude if you are conscious of your middle. This dress was quite long and came down to my shin (I'm 5 foot 5). However, it didn't shorten me like I expected it too. I felt very ladylike and refined last night yet the animal print and sky high heels made the look sexy. 

I purchased these heels on office.co.uk and they are very similar to the Louboutin Pigalle style. They're about 5 inches high so you only really just teeter around in them, I wouldn't advise a night of dancing at all they nearly killed me in Marbella! As the dress was such a statement piece I kept all my accessories simple. Black shoes, bag and my trusty Moschino belt to cinch in my waist. 

I continued the vintage theme to my hair and makeup. 

It's difficult to see my hair in these pictures but I wore it parted to the side with a brushed out curl a la Dita. My makeup look was a real change for me as I'm a terror for falling back on the old reliable smoky eye and nude lip! I started by using a mattifying gel on my skin to take away any shine before applying my foundation. I kept my blush and highlighter minimal and just added a little flush to my cheeks. I went with the compulsory cat eye on my eyes using MAC's gel liner in Blacktrack and finished with some false lashes. On my lips I lined with MAC Cherry liner and finished my look with Russian Red lipstick which I think would look fab on all complexions. This is definitely a look I will be trying again over the festive period! Hope you all had a fabulous weekend!

New season nailed!

A pretty set of well manicured nails finish off every outfit, it cannot be denied! They can be changed to suit your style or even your mood and the variety of different polishes and nailart accessories available on the market means that having a perfectly polished set of talons no longer requires an expensive salon visit. 

Whether you visit a nail technician or do a DIY job we will be arming you with the latest trends in nail colours and embellishment to get you ready for the season ahead.

As far as colour goes, anything goes! Neutrals are still as popular as ever and are great with any outfit choice. One of my favourites is Particulere by Chanel.

 If you plan on embracing some of the new winter shades look no further than your wardrobe for inspiration. Oxblood and berry shades are huge this season in fashion and this has filtered down through the cosmetic houses. Wear as a full set for maximum impact or mix and match with a more neutral colour or a shimmer for a fun and playful take on the trend. 

Grey shades are also set to be extremely popular this winter. On a recent nail appointment I chose a dark charcoal colour in a glossy gel finish. I think it looks very glam! 

Nail art is still a big deal but is set to take a more refined and grown up turn. Finish your look with a shimmery glitter polish to get you Christmas party ready or add gold beading for something a bit more special.

 The louboutin inspired look I wore a few months ago also looks like it's catching on with many bloggers loving the idea. This look is best on stiletto shape nails. Keep the remainder of your nail plain in a good nude or black shade. 

One emerging trend which I predict will be big over the coming months is this tortoiseshell effect. I'm going to try it on my next appointment so I'll let you know how it goes!

Product Review Tom Ford Black Orchid

As you all know I really love perfume! I like to think that I have tried almost everything on the market at this stage so as you can imagine it takes something special to impress me! Tom Ford Black Orchid is my go to fragrance for Autumn Winter 2014. 

I can't believe it actually took me so long to try this one! I had heard so much about it and decided is take a spray by chance one day in Brown Thomas. It was love at first whiff! It was so sensual and spicy and hours later I could still smell it beautifully on my skin. I vowed that I would have to invest in a bottle! At €94 for a 50ml this is not cheap and is only available in select retailers in Ireland. I actually purchased mine in Malaga airport duty free for a steal at €78! I'll be picking up some more in London in a few weeks! 

It's been a couple weeks since I began using mine and I've literally used it every day even though I should probably save it for special occasions! However, using it this much has meant I've been able to come up with a really informative review for our readers!

Black Orchid was created in 2006 and listed as an oriental chypre. In my opinion it is way up there with anything created by the great perfume houses. The longevity on the skin and sillage (when other people can smell you and tell you that you smell yummy!) is perhaps one of the best of any fragrance I've tried, and I've tried a lot! Top notes including jasmine and ylang-ylang add a sensuality typical with oriental scents while black currant and citrus ensure a sharpness. Orchid is at the very heart of this fragrance and combined with the base notes of vanilla, dark chocolate, and amber to name a few make for a gorgeous, luxurious and lingering scent.

I can appreciate that although it is beautiful Black Orchid will not be to everyone's taste. 

I would recommend this to someone who is used to wearing a strong scent that stands out. Any woman from their mid twenties upwards could wear this scent as it is so timeless. I think winter wear rather than summer wear is essential for this scent as the strength of it may leave you a bit nauseous in the heat! Also, I would recommend this for evening wear rather than spraying for work! If you like your scents strong and sweet then try this scent, one distinct comparison I could make is between this fragrance and Thierry Mugler's Angel. 

Holiday Journal Puerto Banus

Those of you who check out our blog often may have noticed that we have not posted as much as we ought to be recently. Within good reason! Beau Heaux Blog made a trip to the playground of the rich and famous that is Puerto Banus earlier this month. Our adventure was so amazing of course we had to share it with all of you!

Puerto Banus, Marbella

Earlier in the year I visited Puerto Banus and Marbella on a day trip with my boyfriend while I was holidaying in the Costa Del Sol. I was so blown away by the glamour, wealth and luxury on display I vowed that I would return sooner rather than later. It didn't take much persuasion to convince my bestie to make the return trip with me and after a few weeks of booking flights, organising tranfers and spending way too much on swimwear we checked our luggage in and headed for the departures lounge bar at Shannon airport!

Drinks in Shannon!

We flew with Ryanair on the day and the flight took just about 2 and a half hours. It was around 10pm by the time our driver picked us up from Malaga airport and brought us to our destination which was a surprisingly speedy car journey. We turned off the motorway and could see the bright lights and white washed buildings of Puerto Banus as we approached our hotel. 

Room with a view!

We stayed at The PYR Hotel Marbella, which was surprisingly nice for a 3 star. Our studio apartment was very spacious and the air conditioning stayed on all day which was brilliant considering it was 30+ degrees for the duration of our stay. After freshening up we were ready to hit the cobbled streets of the port. Even on a Sunday evening at the beginning of September the port area was bustling and it wasn't long before we were greeted by promo staff trying to get us into their bars. One guy recommended an Italian restaurant for us to dine in but we didn't quite make it! We ended up eating in a little creparie on the street behind the main port, it was delicious none the less! We decided to call it a night early enough as we had big plans for the following morning!

Besties!

We spent our first full day in Banus at La Sala By The Sea. An exclusive beach club popular with celebrities and footballers and frequently featured on The Only Way Is Essex. 

We had booked our bed prior to our arrival so all that we had to do on the day was show up in our best beachwear. We arrived at the club around midday, I chose to wear my custom swimsuit by Jackson's Fashion  which I styled with Office wedges, a Zara bag and an asos kimono. 

OOTD

I tried to wear a little makeup early in the day but it literally melted right off my face as the temperature soared! I was so glad I had my lashes and brows done before my holiday! La Sala was definitely a highlight of the trip for both of us. Beautiful people, good music and champagne flowing! The drinks menu was very extensive and there was budget friendly options aswel as really expensive champagne. 

We were provided with towels, fruit and water on our arrival and the staff were very attentive throughout the day. We also enjoyed a beautiful lunch here. La Sala is one of the many beach clubs in the resort with Ocean Club, Nikki Beach and Plaza Beach among some of the choices. A trip to Puerto Banus really wouldn't be complete without visiting one!

The choice of eateries is excellent and I found them surprisingly affordable, even the venues around the port. We ate at the Port every evening except the last when we chose to go to the Hardrock Cafe Marbella which was the worst meal I ate over there! There was also lots of bars to choose from and a big supermarket in the Corte Ingles which sold cava for very cheap! Shopping in Puerto Banus is just wow but you have to be prepared to spend! The streets are lined with every designer under the sun from Dior to Bvlgari to Versace, you name it it's there! There is also a couple of decent shopping centres around with more affordable shopping on offer from reliables such as H&M and Zara. The Corte Ingles is fantastic for beauty junkies and has an extensive range of brands, my favourite being a little Sephora concession. There is also an outlet from Milanese beauty brand Kiko right at the port which sells fabulous, budget friendly products. Aside from shopping and dining there is plenty to do in the resort and even more further afield in the Costa. There are various companies offering boat rental and luxury car rental for cheaper than you would imagine. 

Can dress her up but you can't take her out!

Another highlight for us was getting the VIP experience in top club Tibu. We waited at our table on the VIP terrace for our Moet which our host brought us, sparklers and all! 

Champagne and sparkles!

We later headed into the main club area where they were playing Hiphop and rnb that night. It was absolutely packed for a Tuesday and we had an amazing night not getting home til 7am!

It really was a trip of a lifetime but I do plan on reliving it again and am already anxious to book flights for next Summer!

Poolside Chic

Gone are the days when a girly holiday meant a week on a package trip to the Canaries or a road trip to a seaside town somewhere in the west! Thanks to tv shows such as Made in Chelsea and The Only Way Is Essex girls like ourselves are expecting more from our week in the sun.

 Locations such as Marbella, Ibiza, Las Vegas and Dubai have become choice destinations and pool parties and yacht trips have replaced a dip in the sea as holiday activities! With our holiday choices becoming more upmarket our suitcase contents will therefore also have to follow suit. That faded bikini you've had for the last couple of years just won't cut it (yes we know you may have only had the chance to wear it on 2 or 3 occasions!). This post will bring you the Do's and Don'ts of pool party dressing, whether you're a Chelsea lady or an Essex babe.

Despite what you may think the key is less is more! Keep any pattern and colour to one item only. If you choose a bright, busy swimsuit then pair it with a plain kimono and accessories. In this first look we have chosen a standout swimsuit in a bright neon, this one is by AQAQ. A one piece is flattering on all shapes and bright colours look gorgeous with a rich tan. We have styled our suit with a plain black Missguided kimono, which is great to ease you gently into the bikini experience!  You can keep yourself under wraps until you're ready to show off! Tan accessories will compliment virtually any swimsuit and these Office wedges are leather so will be super comfy even if your feet swell in the heat. This ZARA bag trumps your average beach bag and can also add some stylish flair to your airport outfit.

The next rule for poolside cool is to flatter your figure. Wear something you feel comfortable in! A one piece is great if you're tummy conscious, bigger busted ladies should choose a bikini with added support and a bikini bottom with side ties will add length to shorter legs. Cover ups are so in right now and are great if you are a little modest. Drape a kimono over your shoulders if you're not mad about your arms and everybody will think you are making a fashion statement, not trying to conceal something! A sarong is also brilliant if you have a bit of pesky cellulite on your bum and will also finish off your glam look perfectly. The TOWIE girls are all fans of a good cover up!

Don't be tempted to over do it on the hair and makeup. Trust me you'll end up really disappointed when humidity hits and half of your face ends up on your beach towel! Take a leaf out of Lucy Mecklenburgh's book and keep hair neat and chic and makeup natural. I would always make sure that a new haircut coincides with my vacation. If you have long or unmanageable locks try tie it back in a chic ponytail or a big bun. Prior to jetting off why not invest in an eyebrow tint and semi permanent lashes which will mean you won't need any eyemakeup for your trip. Use a good quality tinted moisturiser or bb cream with added SPF to do two jobs at once. Make sure you pop some face powder in your beach bag to keep shine at bay and finish your look with a dusting of bronzer and a bright lip tint.

However tempting it may be don't do the magpie on it! Keep the bling to a minimum. Once you start adding sequins and Swarovski it is very hard to stop! Avoid blinged out bikinis as they will be very difficult to restyle and you therefore will get a lot less wear out of them. It is much easier to dress up a plain suit and make it look completely new! Use accessories to add glitter and glam to your ensemble. Accessories are actually the most important part of your outfit. It's all in the detail! It's not uncommon to see designer totes being used as beach bags  at these resorts and designer sunnies are an essential. You can however fake it! 

In this picture we have styled this asos swimsuit with the same chic shopper as before from ZARA. The wedges from lolashoetique.com look fabulous with the bag and add just a touch of bling with the chain detail. The Missguided kimono freshens up the outfit. 

Our final rule of thumb for poolside chic is  do not under any circumstances go topless! You're in a different country and nobody may know you but if you keep hash tagging #marbs2014 in your pictures all those lads around the pool in Ocean Club soon will! Also, under no circumstances should you go topless in Dubai, ever! We can't bail you out of prison!

We hope you have found this piece informative and if you have any feedback we would love to hear from you. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram @beauheauxblog

Pictures: Reveal Magazine, Daily Mail, Metro.co.uk, Missguided.eu, Zara.com, asos.com, lolashoetique.com, office.co.uk, aqaq.com

Fashion Mood Boards: Zara AW14

Producing little mood boards has become a habit of mine recently! I find it great for determining whether items from different sites will look good together, aside from trying them on of course! Now, my mood boards are nowhere near as sophisticated as some other bloggers who use photoshop and other such tools. I make them up in a few minutes and find them to be simple yet effective! Here is one I compiled recently with some of my top pics from Zara's latest collection.

This clutch bag is to die! I've seen a few bloggers photographed wearing it already. It's a dinky little size and available in black and white. It sort of fits into that whole novelty accessories trend around at the moment too. Pair it with jeans and a blazer for day time chic or with a midi and crop top for a cute evening look.

Oooooh these shoooooes! At the moment I'm sort of obsessed with Margot Robbie's character in The Wolf of Wall Street. Her wardrobe on the movie is so fun and I love that whole eighties sexy power dressing look. All of her heels in the film are super high pointy toe stilettos and lots of ankle strap and Mary Jane action too! This pair totally have that vibe about them! Available I'm black and nude and for only €30 how could you not?!

This skirt is so beautiful and very Carrie Bradshaw-esque! Metallic midi skirts seem to be having a bit of a moment! I've seen similar versions on asos and in River Island and Alice & Olivia also have one this season which I will be posting in an upcoming mood board post! Unfortunately, at the time I wrote this the skirt had sold out in my size but in hope to get my hands on it when it is restocked. 

This item is actually more wearable than you may think. The key is contrast! Match it with a simple white shirt and barely there sandals or a cute cropped fluffy jumper.

Everyone needs several good structured jackets at their disposal! Winter white is just divine. This piece will add bags of sophistication to a simple pair of denims.

And that concludes my first ever mood board post!