Paul Mitchell Modern Marble Express Ion Smooth+ Review

I received these Paul Mitchell Modern Marble Express Ion Smooth+ straighteners a few weeks ago and I’ve meaning to get this review up ever since! As someone who’s had the same pink (don’t judge me) GHDs since I was in high school it’s really exciting to have something new to play with. Especially when they’re this photogenic! Here are my thoughts…

Usability

When I first saw that they were a little bit wider I was wondering if I would be able to get right to my roots but you definitely can. The size is perfect for mid to long length hair and you can easily create super soft waves with the plates too. They’re also designed for professional use so the cord is 9foot long which is so useful!

The Heat

I love that these come with an adjustable heat dial as it means you can set the temperature to whatever you like and watch it count up so you know when they’re hot. I keep it at 180° as that’s the perfect temp for styling. I mean I’m no scientist but I’m pretty sure that’s the temperature at which the structure of your hair changes but it won’t cause any damage. The ceramic plates have even heat distribution too so there won’t be any hotter sections that could cause damage.

The look

With the white and gold colour scheme, marble effect and minimal look these were sooo made for Instagram. I’ve never seen a pair of hair straighteners like this before and it think it’s really cool to have a pair that are different. You can also pick up a black version which has slimmer plates in the same effect, definitely worth checking out!

The Brush

I have a few of the Paul Mitchell 413 sculpting brushes and I honestly couldn’t recommend them more, they’re super gentle, really lightweight and come in a big range of colours. This one came with the straighteners and has the same marble pattern which is the fanciest thing ever, so matchy-matchy. I like that the bristles are really far apart too so that my hair doesn’t get caught or snap.

Damage control 

I actually find these leave my hair looking way healthier than any other straighteners I’ve tried. Sometimes it can feel super crispy afterwards and a little bit thin but with these my hair is smoothed over without loosing any volume. The temperature control is amazing too as if you have finer hair you can set it as low as you need to.

Want to see how these work in real time? I’ve popped my youtube review below…

SaveSave

Advertisement

That time I dressed up like a red velvet cupcake…

Dinner with Salon Success

Of all the events I’ve been to so far in my short time blogging, this was by far my fave.

  I was very, very lucky to be invited to a cosy diner at St.Davids hotel by Salon Success, in the most amazing room overlooking Cardiff Bay. It was the perfect gals evening to just chat, drink some wine and talk about beauty.

 We began by going through some makeup from New CID, including this amazing nude lipstick which lights up and a pretty incredible eyebrow pencil. We all got to play with the products and take a little goodie bag home, so I’ll make sure to share all those with you very soon.

 Diner consisted of a yummy leak and potato soup, with mini Welsh Rarebit (cute coincidence!), chicken and veggies for main and an Apple Tart Tatin for dessert. Sounds dreamy doesn’t it?

 The first haircare products we talked about were the Marula Oil ones from Paul Mitchell’s new range. Marula oil comes from the nuts on the Marula tree and the concentration of it in these products is very high, which helps to hydrate and repair damaged hair. They smell incredible also and my favourite product so far is the rare oil treatment, which is extra nourishing.

Lastly we talked through the Awapuhi Wild Ginger range (still can’t pronounce it) also by Paul Mitchell. The Awapuhi plant is grown on a farm in Hawaii, purchased by Paul Mitchell and his friend John Paul DeJoria to produce the plant sustainably. Very impressive! It has the most gorgeous smell too, like the richest ginger biscuit you could possibly ever find and I can’t wait to try it out.

I was so grateful to be invited to this, it was such a lovely evening and I’ll get these reviews up very soon! If there’s anything in particular you would like to hear about though let me know in the comments.

SaveSave

On Wednesday’s we wear pink…

 I picked up this fringe skirt in the Zara sale after Christmas but it’s only just got warm enough for me to wear it. It was crazy cheap, maybe like £12 or something?? And I love it. I like pairing dramatic pieces with really understated stuff, like a classic jumper or a plain tee. As much as an over the top look is amazing, for the day to day it’s nice to get use out of the more unusual pieces in your wardrobe.

 In terms of hair and makeup, I keep doing this big cat eye recently. I love vintage inspired makeup looks, especially from the 40s and 50s and they’re one of the easiest to emulate. It’s unusual for me to have time to do much to my hair also, so this messy bun has been well perfected recently too (monkey with hands over eyes emoji right here).

Pixi MakeUp Haul

So recently, I was lucky enough to be invited to chat with Amanda Bell from Pixi, about all things makeup and skincare. She gave me some seriously good advice about what products I should and shouldn’t be using and the main beauty trends for this season.

Pixi is a very natural brand and some of the products are vegan, so it’s perfect for sensitive or troublesome skin. As a brand they celebrate natural beauty and all the products are packed with botanicals and nutrients to enhance your skin.

Starting from the top, the Natural Brow Duo is a 2-in-1 one gel and pencil, which makes sculpting the perfect brows easy. The angled pencil helps you to get amazing definition and the tinted gel holds all your hard work in place. It’s a great makeup bag staple, that would work for anyone, especially if you haven’t used anything for your brows before.

Moving onto the Brow Brightener, this gel is essentially a highlighter for your eyebrows. The expert tip is to sweep this on when you’ve overdrawn them to redefine the hairs, creating a more natural finish.

This last one I’ve been using everyday and I’m in love with it. The Brow Tamer is a lightweight gel that really works to hold your eyebrows in place. It has a lightweight, natural finish and it doesn’t feel drying or crispy like some of the other’s I’ve tried.

This Endless Silky Eye Pen is serious holy grail territory. The formula is beyond incredible. It’s soft, creamy and easy to blend but it’s also really long-lasting. It has amazing colour payoff to, so you don’t have to work at it back and for to get a good result.

A gorgeous finishing touch, the Lengthy Fiber Mascara is perfect for super long and defined lashes. It’s fragrance and paraben free so if, like me, you have sensitive eyes, it’s a perfect choice. You can see the stretch fibers really building your lashes and the brush is gorgeously delicate too.

A bit of a buzz product right now, the Black Lacquer Lash Primer is your first step for building amazing lashes. It plumps protects and strengthens for a perfect base to build your mascara on. I also love that it’s black, white eyelash primers can be such a nightmare and it means you don’t have to worry about covering anything.

How cute is this packaging! I’m in love with the Shea Butter Lip Balm. It’s such a soft, creamy formula and it keeps my lips moisturised long after I’ve used it. Amanda suggested blending this on my cheeks as a blusher too and it works really well.

Lastly the Lip Contour Liner in soft nude. I love that this is twist up as I go through lip liner so quickly and this makes my life so much easier. It’s a really lovely, light weight formula and it’s not heavy or drying on your lips at all. You can use this as a filler for fine lines around the lips too, so it does have a really nourishing, plumping quality that works perfectly under lipstick.

So many beautiful products! I’ve really loved trying these.

SaveSave

Current Favourites

I’ve been loving a lot of things over the holiday break (mince pies, maybe a bit too much) but I thought I would post a few beauty and fashion related things that I couldn’t have been without over Christmas.

The Black Beanie: I never, ever, ever thought I would wear one of these but I’m literally obsessed with it now. I decided to add a little veil in the vein hope of being Jil Sander cool and oh my god is this thing warm.

Jo Malone, Damask Rose & Oud: One of my all time favourite fragrances and my second bottle thanks to a super generous boyfriend. It’s just the most glam smell and it lasts forever.

Marc Jacobs Watch: Again a la boyfriend, what a sweetie. This is so gorgeous and midnight blue goes with EVERYTHING. I also turn up on time to things now.

Hoop Earrings: I feel like a gypsy fortune teller and for some reason that feels fabulous…

Cups to Go: It’s so much easier to venture into the cold with something to distract yourself, like fresh juice… or mulled wine. And it saves you money, tres amazing.

Marc Jacobs Decadence: It literally smells like a big bank account. It’s a perfume that looks like a little bag. No brainer.

Beanie Girl

2016 is the year I have big plans for StyleRarebit.com and what better way to start than with an outfit post (my fave). I can’t believe it’s been over a year since I started this project and I’m beyond grateful for the support I’ve had.  It’s been an amazing journey so far and I’ve learnt a lot, well enough to get me a new job even and some really sweet friends. Doing this blog has given me the confidence to push myself further and create better content for the site. I hope you enjoy reading SR as much as I love writing it and that this year brings good vibes all round, Happy 2016!

B E A N I E : H&M

C O A T : Shein

B A C K P A C K : Finery

B O O T S : Moda In Pelle

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Waste Land.

Coat Vintage

Glasses YSL

Boots Ted&Muffy

Photography Sarah Barnes

4 Quick & Easy Hair Looks

  So I’m no hair genius by any stretch of the imagination but I do have practice getting ready to go somewhere with no time to get ready (juggling 3 jobs is no joke). So here’s a post of my top 4 go to styles, that are all really simple and pretty much fail-safe. If I can do it, you definitely can. 1. H A L F . T O P . K N O T

Despite being murdered by hipster men everywhere, this style still made my list. It’s so easy and works really well on second day hair, plus it takes about 30 seconds to do. I’ve done this one with a hair band and made it really messy but you can pull it into a sleek bun if you need something more dressy.2. V I N T A G E .  T W I S T

I’m pretty sure everyone I know has seen this at some point. This is my number one go to, because it doesn’t matter if your hairy is curly, straight or otherwise. You literally just twist from your hairline right around to the back of your head and secure it with bobby pins. You can also do this with a pony tail, which looks really polished and is just as quick.3. A S Y M E T R I C . P L A I T

This is a kind of speedy Veronica Lake-esque look. I’m the worst at French braids but it doesn’t matter so much because I use bobby pins to clean up any loose hairs. For this look plait around to the back of your head and pin on the other side to secure all the volume on the opposite shoulder. This is a good one for second day curls.4. P O L I S H E D . P O N Y

Ok, so… this might not be all my own hair but this is why its so easy. I love a little clip in and it’s as simple as tying back my hair and wrapping it round my pony tail. It just helps to add more volume and I don’t have to style it either with cuts time. However if you’ve just got your natural locks, you can still create this with some curling tongs and finishing by wrapping a strand of hair around the base of your pony.

Let me know what you think of these! And if you have any of your own styles put them down in the comments box below.

Photography: Sarah Barnes

 

4 Quick & Easy Hairstyles

  So I’m no hair genius by any stretch of the imagination but I do have practice getting ready to go somewhere with no time to get ready (juggling 3 jobs is no joke). So here’s a post of my top 4 go to styles, that are all really simple and pretty much fail-safe. If I can do it, you definitely can. 1. H A L F . T O P . K N O T

Despite being murdered by hipster men everywhere, this style still made my list. It’s so easy and works really well on second day hair, plus it takes about 30 seconds to do. I’ve done this one with a hair band and made it really messy but you can pull it into a sleek bun if you need something more dressy.2. V I N T A G E .  T W I S T

I’m pretty sure everyone I know has seen this at some point. This is my number one go to, because it doesn’t matter if your hairy is curly, straight or otherwise. You literally just twist from your hairline right around to the back of your head and secure it with bobby pins. You can also do this with a pony tail, which looks really polished and is just as quick.3. A S Y M E T R I C . P L A I T

This is a kind of speedy Veronica Lake-esque look. I’m the worst at French braids but it doesn’t matter so much because I use bobby pins to clean up any loose hairs. For this look plait around to the back of your head and pin on the other side to secure all the volume on the opposite shoulder. This is a good one for second day curls.4. P O L I S H E D . P O N Y

Ok, so… this might not be all my own hair but this is why its so easy. I love a little clip in and it’s as simple as tying back my hair and wrapping it round my pony tail. It just helps to add more volume and I don’t have to style it either with cuts time. However if you’ve just got your natural locks, you can still create this with some curling tongs and finishing by wrapping a strand of hair around the base of your pony.

Let me know what you think of these! And if you have any of your own styles put them down in the comments box below.

Photography: Sarah Barnes

 

SaveSave