Ruffles by the sea

Hi Girls,

Happy Mothers day! Hope you are enjoying the blissful sunshine as much as me. Myself and Damien took a trip to Ballybunion today and it was so fab!! I fell in love with the little seaside town.

The sun makes everywhere so beautiful and really makes me appreciate what we have on our doorstep in Ireland. I love going on European city breaks so much but I said this year we would take more trips around Ireland instead. There is so many gorgeous places to see.

Anyhow I went for a really summery outfit for the day that was in it. I picked up these mom style jeans during the week, I feel like they are the jeans that suit my shape best. They came with a cute denim frayed belt but I took it off them for todays look.

Hope you all enjoy the rest of your weekend, I am off to get ready for dinner tonight.

Outfit details

Top & denim @penneys

Jeans @zara

Shoes @riverisland

Bag @Michaelkors

Scarf @poppyandjean

Dominique 

xoxo

Killashee hotel

Hi Everyone,

Hope you all had a lovely weekend. I had a fab night away in Killashee hotel that I thought I would share with you all. With Mothers day coming up I thought this would be a lovely present to get the Mammys that do so much for us. I actually stayed with Damien but there is a spa there too which would be a really nice Mother daughter day out too.

It was so nice to get away even if it was just for the night as we've been saving hard for the last few months. I think its important to take one night even if it is just once every couple of months to indulge and spoil yourself. Killashee hotel is within an hour of where I live so we hadn't got far to go either. We got a lovely day on Friday with the weather so we took a walk around the hotel grounds. Its such a fab location for a wedding and god love Damien I had him taking my outfit pictures all around the gardens, there was way to many photo ops not to take advantage of them. 

We stayed in a junior suite, the decor was traditional and so amazing and spacious. From the four poster bed to the jacuzzi bath I could have happily spent the whole time in the room. I was booked in for a spa treatment so I dragged myself away from it after lunch. I got a pro collagen quartz lift facial done which firms up the skin and reduces the appearance of wrinkles and now I look 18 again, Yay!! :)

We stayed in the hotel for dinner and went to Turners Restaurant. If you are eating here, you have to try the steak, it was delish!! I definitely reccommend the cocktails here too. 

If you are thinking of staying at Killashee or treating someone special they have some great deals here www.killasheehotel.com.

Hope you enjoyed this post.

Dominique 

xoxo

LoveFashionandfros was a guest of Killashee hotel

When in Belfast

Hi Everyone,

Hope you all had a nice weekend. I had a lot of questions over the weekend about my trip to Belfast so I thought it would be easier to do a blog post so I can refer back to here and share everything we done while there.

I love going on a little January trip, something to look forward to after Christmas. I had planned on just going to Belfast and doing the Titanic Experience and the Giants Causeway in the one day. They were both places I wanted to visit for a while now so it was good to get them both ticked off the list in the one weekend. Something I said I would do as part of my New years resolutions was to take more city breaks. I am 100% one of those book now and worry about how I'm going to get the money up for it later kinda people. Last minute.com I went online Thursday evening to price hotels so we could spend a night in Belfast. I got a deal for Jurys Inn so we booked there. Cheap and cheerful the room was basic but it grand as we didn't spend much time in the room.

What to do

The Titanic Experience...

 I always had an interest in the Titanic and the film is one of my all time favourites so I was dying to do the tour.  The only thing I was raging about was the fact that on a Sunday they do afternoon tea there & its set in the Titanic suite where they have a replica of the staircase from the ship. If I had of looked on the website before going I would have waited to go on a Sunday so I could have done that. I'll do my research next time.

Eat at  

Flame restaurant...

Upon checking into our hotel , the lovely receptionist asked if we had made dinner reservations. She told us of Flame which was only a 2 minute walk from our hotel. The restaurant and staff were amazing and the atmosphere was so nice, they had live music and I could have stayed there all night. Its definitely a must- eat spot. * Try the Pineapple Express cocktail, it tastes like Summer if there was such a thing!

Visit

The Giants Causeway...

I can't put into words how amazing it really is, you have to go and see it.  For anyone that doesn't know, the Giant's Causeway is basically a coastline consisting of basalt columns of rock ranging in size as you can see from my pictures. It is the result of an ancient volcanic eruption. We have so many amazing landmarks in Ireland and this is definitely one you MUST see to believe how amazing our little country is.

The Carrick a Rede Rope Bridge...

When I said I was going to be visiting The Giants Causeway I got so many messages saying I had to visit the Rope Bridge too. It was only a 15 minute drive from the causeway. The scenery is amazing here and there are lots of vantage points to take in the views and get some lovely pictures. It is about a 10 minute coastal walk from the car park to the rope bridge. I think we went at peak time because we had to queue for about 45 mins to cross the rope bridge. This is most definitely not for the faint hearted. The weather bears a huge factor in whether you can cross the bridge or not. The story behind the bridge is that fisherman made it to link the mainland to a tiny island, Carrickarede during salmon season. The bridge is 20 metres wide and is 30 metres above the rocks below.

Don't forget..

To take a trip to the peace walls. You can take a black taxi tour for around 25 euro and will learn the history behind these walls.

All in all it was a great trip and I feel like we got a lot in in the two days we were there.

  Hope you enjoyed reading.

Dominique

Xoxo

Treat Yo'self!!

Hi Gals,

I'm so happy it's almost FriYAY.  I feel like this week has flew in because I was away in Gorey Monday night. Most of the girls in my family went on a lovely family break away to the Amber Springs hotel for my gran's birthday. We actually have never went on a girls trip like this before and it was lovely to get us all together for the occasion.

I'm all for relaxing while I'm away so I booked into the Cocoon spa whilst there for some treatments. I haven't been for a facial or any type of treatment in over a year so I figured it was well overdue. I was supposed to go on a spa day with my friends in December but a hair fiasco left me having to sit it out so it's been on my mind ever since.

I suffer alot with backpain so I always prefer getting a back massage over a full body one. I tore my rotator cuff around December last year and was in a lot of pain with that so I went for a deep tissue massage. Whilst getting that done the therapist informed me that my backpain is probably due to the fact that I have scoliosis. Long story short after that I attended the doctor and was told I have a mild form of scoliosis but that is the reason my lower back gives me such grief.

So I booked in for a back massage, facial and scalp massage the morning before check out. When I went down to the spa I was guided to the lotus relaxation suite. The room has the most relaxing music and the ceiling is made to look like stars in the sky, its amazing. After being given some relax time there I was greeted by a lovely therapist Ruth who was going to carry out my treatments. I told Ruth about my back problems and she got started on my 

treatments and that's all that I can remember as I was so relaxed I fell asleep haha I kid though I didn't fall asleep I wasn't going to the time here go to waste. I am a serious overthinker/worrier so it takes alot for me to relax and take a break from my own thoughts. The calming music and aroma's did just that. 

Ruth used all Elemis products for my facial and they really rehydrated my skin. The skin on my face is always quite dry and it still feels lovely a couple of days after having it done.

As for the hotel it was amazing, the room was so spacious and the bed so comfy that I had to lift up the sheets and check the name of the mattress. Wouldn't you know I work in a furniture shop!! I was raging that we were only there for the one night as it really wasn't long enough. So for anyone looking for a girly break away or just a little couples retreat Amber Springs is most definitely the place for that. We all lead our own busy lives so its important to take some time to relax, enjoy and be pampered. So don't feel guilty, treat yo'self!! :)

Dominique

Xoxo

Prague, you pretty!!

Hi Everyone,

Happy Tuesday! Today was our first full day in Prague and I have fallen in love with the place. We hired a vintage open top car to take us around the city to the major landmarks first thing this morning. It was amazing and definitely something I recommend doing if you are travelling here. The whole place is so christmassy and there are so many places to see. We visited Prague castle first, the views of the city are amazing from here.  If you were watching my snapchats today (Dominique89) some people were taking extreme selfie's here, I wouldn't be brave enough to stand on the wall like some of them, I value my life too much!! The car left us off at the Old town square but you can choose whichever route you like. From here we wandered around the Christmas markets trying out the local foods and drinks and then went for lunch.

We took a stroll across St Charles Bridge after lunch. Legend says that if you rub the statue of Nepomuk you will get good luck and one day return to Prague. There is also a small golden cross on the bridge where it is said if you touch it and make a wish it will come through within a year and a day so I am going back to do it tomorrow.

Anyway I am off to get ready for dinner now and I will have a blog up soon on all the best places to eat too.

Outfit details below :)

Jumper & hat- New Look

Jacket- Pretty Little Things

Jeans- Primark

Runners- Adidas

Dominique

Xxx

Falling off the wagon & getting back on it!

Hi Everyone,

Hope you are all having a lovely Sunday.

While lying in bed last night after indulging in a pizza I realised I am lacking motivation to get my lazy ass to the gym lately. I started my fitness journey last March when I signed up to the body coach 90 day Shift Shape Sustain challenge. I was always into fitness before this but my eating was never healthy. I always found I had a fast metabolism. I have a really big appetite and am a junk food fiend but always managed to sustain my weight no matter what I ate. It was only when I tore my rotator cuff in a bootcamp class and had to give up training for a few weeks that I noticed the weight pile on. When I hit my heaviest of nearly 11 stone on the scales I decided to get my ass in gear and do something.

 I was delighted with the results from the body coach plan and continued my healthy eating regime and fitness right up until September/ October. I lost nearly 2 stone and dropped body fat since starting the challenge. I mostly done morning training sessions because I found that they really set me up for the day. Once I done my morning workout I felt it was much easier to eat right for the day. I learned so much about nutrition from doing the plan so I know the right things to eat after training and on rest days.

When the colder mornings started to creep in I lacked the motivation to get out of the bed and to the gym. Skipping my morning workout and saying I will go after work didn't always pan out. I'd find any excuse under the sun not to go work out on the dark evenings.

I took a look back on pictures from a couple of months ago last night just to depress myself. I took the picture on the left just after my holidays and the one on the right is from today. Although I have only put on a couple of pounds since then I have definitely lost muscle definition and can really notice the difference between the two pictures.

With Christmas just around the corner I don't want to set myself unrealistic targets. At the same time I don't want to slip back to the way I was before I started the body coach plan. I definitely need to create a balance that suits me.

So if you are like me here's a few helpful tips to get you on the right track. 

1. Morning prep- Food is my main battle. I need to start the day with a healthy meal so I can maintain it throughout the day. If you keep hitting the snooze button and find yourself skipping breakfast to get a couple more minutes in your leaba, prep your breakfast the night before. Overnight oats are great for this or anyone on the go in the mornings.

2. Workout prep- If I go to the gym not knowing what I am doing that day I kind of arse around and just do whatever I feel like. When I was doing the body coach I had structure so I knew what I had to do before I went. I had different days allocated to training legs, arms, core etc. This system is much better. So do out a list of exercise's for each gym day e.g Monday = leg day. If you need help ask a gym instructor for a plan.

3. Don't sacrifice too much. It's Christmas after all so just learn to have a balanced diet. Have 3 sweets instead of the whole box!! Even when I was doing the body coach I allowed myself treats. There is nothing worse than going cinema and not having the popcorn or saying you can't go for that meal with your friends because it doesn't fit in with your plan. There is always a healthy option on the menu.

Hope this helps!!

Dominique
Xoxo

My Liz Earle skincare routine

Hi Girls,

Hope you all had a lovely weekend. 

I had a few people commenting on my skin lately so I thought I would show you all the skin care I use. I have actually only started to use proper skincare in the last 4 months. It's mainly after a night out or when I haven't got enough sleep that I notice my skin gets quite dehydrated and dry and these Liz Earle products bring it back to life for me.

I made a skin consultation with Linda on the Liz Earle counter in Arnotts a couple of months back. As I said, before using these products I had never used any type of facial skincare. I decided at 27 it was time to start looking after my skin. I have always been lucky that my skin is quite clear. Obviously I do get break outs at certain times but overall its pretty good. So when I say I hadn't got a clue about skincare, I mean, I hadn't got a clue. When Linda asked me what my normal skincare routine was I said I usually just use radox or whatever is in the shower to wash my face and that's it. The look of absolute horror on her face when I said that was so funny. So you can take it from me that radox is a no no to wash your face with.

There's so many skincare brands on the market it's so hard to know which one to choose. Linda literally talked me through everything and what they were for and what order to use them in (skincare for dummies). The hot cloth cleanser and toner can be used on ALL skin types so you don't have to go looking for one that suits your dry or your oily skin, they are suitable for everyone. I got the moisturiser for normal/ combination skin and its so good and smells amazing. I feel like I always have dark circles under my eyes no matter what. I could sleep for 14 hours and still wake up with dark circles under my eyes. As my eye area is what I am most conscious about on my face I wanted a really hydrating eye cream that would brighten my dark circles so Linda recommended the superskin eye cream. 
I use all of these products on my skin twice daily, in the morning and just before bed.
My skin feels so much more hydrated and glowy now in comparison to a couple of months ago so I wont be going back to my radox any time soon.

The range isn't cheap but its definitely worth it and they always do package deals so you will definitely find one to suit your budget. I was just on their website there and they have so many lovely Christmas gift sets. Oh and this is not a sponsored post I just genuinely love the stuff so I will link the website below if you want to check them out. Or if you are going to pop in to Linda in Arnotts they do some lovely complimentary treatments and she can talk you through the products. She is a a bundle of skincare knowledge and so lovely.

http://ie.lizearle.com/christmas

Thanks for reading.

Dominique
XOXO

My hair Transformation- blonde to Rose gold

Hi everyone,

What's better than freshly coloured hair for the weekend? :)

 I thought I would do a post on my hair transformation because I got so many questions about it yesterday.  I had been thinking of changing my hair up since the start of Summer. I usually try out one of the pastel colours in my hair during Summertime but I never got around to doing it so I went with a warm rose gold colour for Winter instead. I am so happy with my new look.

So I went to Davey Davey on Drury Street. Stephen was my colourist and he was amazing. I just showed him a picture of what I wanted and off he went mixing up the colours and it turned out exactly the way I wanted it. They even coloured my clip in extensions for me. Delira!!

I got a boho blowdry from Claudia and it has lasted so well I'd say I will get a few days out of it.

All the staff were so lovely from Stephens assistant Lily to the friendly receptionist Danielle. I will definitely be back :)

Dominique

Xoxo