Pastel colours have always gotten kind of a bad rep in terms of style. Tbh, these shades seemed to be reserved for either newborns or the Queen, with no in-between. Recently, though, pastel tones have become a summer staple. From pastel gingham dresses to sherbet-coloured sweater vests, soft-hued tones of dreamy pastels are e-ver-y-where. It’s no surprise then that one of the biggest nail trends of the year is following suit. Pastel nails popped up as a major trend last summer – *flashback to us dreaming of pastel manis whilst stuck in lockdown last year*. This summer though, pastels are back and better…

So we’ve already been obsessing over 2021’s fave hair trends so far – we’re talking money-piece highlights, vanilla blonde, and bubble braids (as a shameless bandwagon-hopper, I’ve personally tried all three). Thanks to TikTok though, there’s a new trend on the block, and it’s easily the most ‘cool-girl’ style we’ve seen this year. The #wolfcut trend on TikTok (which currently has 436.3 million views), sees brave users tie their hair in a high pony at the top of their head, then chop the end of the ponytail off bluntly, usually using a pair of kitchen scissors. Chaotic, I know. The end result is kind of a…

Here’s the thing: I’m 30 years old, and I’ve been religiously waxing for over 10 years. For me, I love the long-lasting, silky smooth look and feel. Mostly, I enjoy the freedom of enjoying summer days without having to worry about a stray hair here and there. So, with salons being closed during lockdown, I tried my hand at being my owl personal waxer. Hours spent in the bathroom, the sticky wax that seemed to stay put for days, the stiff neck – honestly, it was a nightmare. Eventually, I cracked, and did (what was to me) the unthinkable: resorted…

1. Botox won’t make your wrinkles disappear completely As effective as Botox is at reducing lines, (and as beautiful as the results might be), the treatment won’t erase your wrinkles entirely. It’s for this reason that it is often advised as a preventative measure, rather than restorative. Botox prevents muscles from contracting, essentially making them relax and softening their appearance, which also means that the onset of new wrinkles is delayed. So, if you have deep lines on your face, Botox won’t completely smooth these out. That being said, my frown lines and wrinkles are definitely less noticeable and pronounced…

Ah, the man bun. A divisive hipster staple in the 2010s, and one that many of us (myself included) were glad to see virtually disappear for the past few years. Now though, it seems like the man bun is back. It seems the likes of Brad Pitt and Antoine Griezmann are proving that it might just have outgrown its hipster reputation. With longer hair proving a definite trend in 2021 (likely because of the months of lockdown and lack of access to a haircut that isn’t performed by your mum with the kitchen scissors), it seems that a cultural reset on the man bun is…

Growing-out your hair is a long game. Although a year full of lockdowns and no haircuts has meant that many men have already taken the first steps to a longer mane á la Jason Momoa, it can be difficult to know exactly the right steps to take to keep it looking fresh (especially during that awkward phase). Growing your do from short back and sides, to lengthier locks could take around two years, and while letting nature do its thing will get your journey going, you’ll need a game-plan long-term. You ready to commit? Thought so. Here’s what you’ll need to…

If we’ve said it once, we’ve said it 100 times: the 90s french mani is back and better than ever this year, with the ‘modern French’ having ruled our insta feeds for a while now. Whilst we for sure won’t be bored of our beloved fave any time soon, there’s recently been yet another new take on the trend that is filling our feeds – and saved inspo pics – ready for summer. Say hello to the reverse french mani. Also known as cuff nails, the reverse French mani pretty much does what it says on the tin – picture a classic…

It might have taken what seems like years, but the sun has finally arrived(!!), which means it’s time for picnics in the park, drinks in the beer garden and an actual *social life* – Is this a dream? What it also means is that we should be taking extra care of our skin. In true teenager-in-the-2000s style, I remember the days where my ‘sun care’ consisted of repeatedly saying ‘my foundation has SPF 10 in it’, and occasionally coating myself in factor two tanning oil (honestly, shudder). Now though, SPF is the cornerstone of any good skincare routine, and any dermatologist will tell you…

It’s pretty hot right now, which means some of us will be booking our pre-hol wax (or let’s be real: pre-staycation wax) soon. Contrary to popular opinion, waxing isn’t actually that bad – you just need to make sure the conditions are right. Think of it like this, say you went out for a picnic (bear with us), it started raining and you forgot the crisps, you probably wouldn’t enjoy the picnic. Well, waxing is like that but instead of checking the weather and remembering the snacks, you need to time your appointment and steer clear of alcohol beforehand. Here are the waxing mistakes…

Another day, another cheeky spot that’s made its way onto our body in the night (so sly). It’s not how it looks (no yellow-tinged pimple will distract from that smile of yours), it’s that it’s damn uncomfortable. Turns out, that pulsating pimple could be trying to tell you something; as each affected area relates to something going on internally. We’re decoding our spots – place by place – figuring out the cause and how you can shift them. By Rachel Spedding

You know the usual drill for avoiding irritated skin: wash your face in the evening and avoid aggressive scrubs. But what about the rest of the skin stuff? Pimples and breakouts are caused by a number of things you’re probably doing on the daily (pizza – I’m looking at you). Here are the six ‘skin sins’ that are causing spots, so you can change your habits for good. Except the pizza-eating. By Rachel Spedding

We all know the annoyance of the period breakout. As if the bloating, cramps and tendency to cry whilst listening to Drivers License (just us?) wasn’t punishment enough. As soon as Aunt Flo takes up residence, so do her unwelcome pimple pals but what about other symptoms PMS (Pre-Menstrual Skin)? The 7-10 days before your period can throw up a whole host of pesky skin problems thanks to wildly fluctuating hormones. From bacne to sunburn it can wreak havoc with your complexion but luckily there’s plenty you can do to fight back... By Jo Hoare

Beards have been having a major comeback moment recently- no doubt because shaving is just *too* much effort when we’re not leaving the house anyway. Now though, it seems the beard trend is here to stay, and we’re 100% here for it.  Growing a beard might seem as simple as just foregoing the razor and letting time do its thing, but anyone who’s tried to grow a lush and dense beard, or even a little trying-but-not-trying stubble, will tell you that there are a whole host of issues that can come with it. We’re talking itchiness, frizz, dry skin and…

If there’s one thing I’ve learned over the past year, it’s that a lack of professional hair help can make a gal consider doing some crazy things. A kitchen scissor cut, a DIY fringe, a box bleach job? Yep, there was a time when I would have tried anything for a change-up. I mean, with the amount of drama we’ve experienced lately, it made sense for our hairstyles to match.  Now though, with the light at the end of the tunnel in view and things getting closer to (the new) normal by the day, you might be wanting your hair…

When Selena Gomez, Billie Eilish, and Dylan Sprouse hop on a hair trend, you know it has to be cool. Recently, a bunch of our fave celebs have been ditching their signature colours for this season’s hottest new colour on the block: vanilla blonde. And honestly, although we’ll sorely miss Billie’s iconic green and black ‘do and Selena’s glossy brunette locks, we’re not mad about it. Why? Because this shade is kind of to die for. The world of blonde hair might have been dominated by icy cool shades and white-silver tones over the past few years, but we’re so ready for…

Say it with me: Y2K is everything right now. Shoulder bags, Juicy tracksuits, and low-rise jeans? Check, check, check. One of our fave Y2K popstar-inspired trends at the moment is one that Tiktokers and red carpet A-listers alike are loving – the bubble braid. We’ve been seeing them everywhere- ‘Rising Star’ Brit Award winner Griff wore an ah-mazing oversized bubble braid for her live Brit performance, Gigi Hadid rocked (adorable) mini versions for her 24th birthday celebrations, and Priyanka Chopra looked insanely sleek and sophisticated with her red-carpet bubble braid at this year’s BAFTA Awards. Honestly? Bubble braids might just be the…

If you’ve spent most of 2021 scrolling through Tiktok (because let’s face it, what else has there been to do), you’ll most likely have come across 3 things: Addison Rae, *that* feta pasta, and the holy grail of beauty routines; Gua Sha. The technique is a firm fave amongst celebs and influencers, and involves scraping an insanely aesthetic-looking tool across the face, with the goal of achieving ultimate lifting-plumping results. It’s said to have countless health and beauty benefits, and has been hailed as the secret to healthy, glowing skin. What’s more? Celebs including Lizzo, Kendall Jenner, and Miranda Kerr have all…

Lockdown had us pining for the hairdressers, saving hair inspo left, right and centre, and dreaming of all the new looks we would try out once normality resumed. One style that kept catching our eye was locs; a hairstyle that’s becoming ever more popular with both men and women who want to show off their natural hair with pride – in a stylish and easy to manage way. Although locs are pretty low maintenance, there are some things you need to know when it comes to starting and caring for your locs. Loc expert Deborah at La Aibamania gave us the lowdown…

If you’re anything like me, your nails have been *through it* this past year. Excessive handwashing? Check. An at-home gel kit that peeled off later that day? Check. A DIY nail art attempt that looked like a toddler had let loose with their crayons? Check. (Okay, maybe some of these are just me, but you get the gist.) Luckily, salons are officially back, which means we can finally get back to our true happy place, the nail salon (insert heavenly choir noises here). This season, our insta feeds have been full of brights, pastels, and all things *joyful*. With spring…

I mean, seriously, because I can’t remember. If I could sum up the past year (and a bit) in three words, it would be “WFH”, or maybe “house every weekend” (and I don’t mean the song). Socialising has been replaced by social distancing. For me, that means greasy hair days are easier to hide (shout out “switch camera off” mode), and washing my hair is more of a treat than a necessity – which is actually good for your hair too, you know? The sleek bun is one of the few hairstyles where the greasier the hair, the better the bun (in my expert opinion, at least).…

Confession: I’m not the best at applying makeup. No matter how many Youtube tutorials I watch, Pinterest pics I study, or TikTok trends I scroll through, (and believe me, it’s a lot), I just can’t seem to get the hang of it. Luckily, 2021’s most notable makeup trend is surprisingly doable- which means it’s one that I can absolutely get on board with. Earlier in the year- the ‘2016 vs 2021’ makeup challenge was trending on TikTok. The trend took a nostalgic look back to those sweet, sweet pre-covid times, and showed how makeup trends have changed since then. On the whole,…

Salons are finally open again in Ireland(!!), which means we're counting down the days to our next appointment, and thinking about all the beauty inspo we've been scrolling through (and dreaming of getting) throughout lockdown. We’re already dead set on the haircut we’re getting, now for the nails. We’ve been obsessing over the modern French mani and now pic ’n’ mix nails. Otherwise known as indie nails or, simply, a different design on every nail. It’s no wonder these amazingly OTT nails are trending after months (and months, and months) of bare nails. When it comes to designs, pick a…

If you’re anything like us you’ve been counting down the days until salons reopened. It’s been a long time since we sat in the salon chair and when we say our hair is crying out for some TLC, we mean it. We spoke to afro Hairdresser extraordinaire, Debora at La Aibamania to find out what we can do in preparation for our first appointment back in the salon. Here are her top three tips: