A Review: ghd V Wonderland Styler + Venetian Venus Waves Tutorial

A Review: ghd wonderland styler(sponsored by GHD) + Venetian Venus Waves Tutorial (hair colour by Instagram @pagnakoladas)

Christmas came early (or late?) for me. A couple of weeks ago I received a very beautiful and sleek ghd V Wonderland styler thanks to the lovely people at ghd.
Released as a limited edition, this V Wonderland styler shares the features of a classic V styler yet it shines in a spectrum of colours - cool blue, lilacs, teals all in a iridescent finish. Upon viewing and using the V Wonderland styler, I fell in love with its smooth texture and the fact that the ghd logo lights up a blue when plugged in. That's a neat feature.
When applying the ghd to my hair for the first time, I noticed the ceramic plates really smoothed out and straightened my fringe out with ease as I could get really close to my scalp. It's narrow size really helps.
When manoeuvring the ghd, the extra long electrical cord meant I didn't have to lean in awkwardly when I found myself strolling in the bathroom waiting for a curl to set.

So, one of the first things I did was to style my hair inspired from the ghd Hair Trends 2013 collections from 2013. Always wearing my hair straight, I went for the Venetian Waves to achieve some sexy curls.

Tutorial: Venetian Waves (inspired by ghd's hairstyles for 2013)

--->To start, apply a good heat protecting foam (in this case I like Goldwell's Hot Form 3 Heat Styling Lotion) or volumising foam towel dried hair. Then rough dry your hair with a hair dryer.
Here comes the new part: take a small section of your hair, and wrap it around your finger and hold in place (this takes a little practice to understand how tightly or loosely to wrap it). Then release the twist from your finger, and holding it in shape, clamp it between the styler and hold for 6 seconds. Pin together at the scalp.
When cooled, unpin hair and unravel the curl, twisting hair as you go to encourage the wave to form. It's absolutely satisfying to see such a perfect formed curl.
When ready, brush out the curls gently to break up the texture, then set with a mist of hairspray.
All in all, it took about 35-40 minutes to finish my head of hair and I thought the process meant I had consistency and a 'softer' wave. With the narrow styler it also meant I had the space to clamp my hair without the risk of unravelling my curl.  <---

I honestly only ever curled my hair by wrapping my hair around a curling iron to achieve big waves and curls. Never have I followed a curling guide such as ghd's tutorial but I have to say, I was pleasantly surprised at the relaxed 'bed-head' look I got.
Thanking ghd for the stunning styler, it holds a special place in my bathroom and is one of my first products I use in the morning and my go-to life saver for every occasion I head out for more blog adventures.

Chalking my Balayage Hair, a DIY tutorial with Pastel Chalks

Balayage Hair: Before chalking

Munovo Soft Pastel Chalks

Twisting my hair as I go

Applying the pastel chalk in a downwards motion

Finished style, curled with a hot iron and some hairspray to hold it

What I used for my balayage hair: Munovo Soft Pastel Chalks Pack of 24; curling iron; light hairspray. (Water is only needed if your hair is dark, or you want to make colour brighter)

Wearing: Zen Garage Oversized T-shirt; Illamasqua 'Flare' Lipstick

Chalking my Balayage hair: I was looking for a quick and temporary hair colour change for the upcoming Wish fashion showing I was attending. Chalked hair was a fantastic alternative to using my usual fudge - because it washes out straight away. 

• To start, you will need to purchase some soft pastel chalks (do not get mixed up with oil pastels - too sticky! or normal chalk - won't release pigment easily). Soft pastel chalks releases good pigment and washes away with water.
• If you have light hair such as mine, you can apply the pastel chalk straight to separate strands of hair.  DO NOT NEED TO ADD WATER. Twist your hair as you go, because the friction releases more pigments. 
• Apply in a downwards motion, not in an up and down motion as so you do not get your hair tangled and ratty. It also helps to move in the natural direction of your hair.
• Mix two colours on the one strand of hair for more fun, it can give a tie-dyed effect!
• If you want a more intense and brighter colour to your hair, you can add some water as you apply (please note this can cause staining and can stay in your hair for longer than one wash because the powder is now more like a dye).
• If your hair is dark, you will need to add water anyways for the colour to show
• After chalking, you can use a hot curling iron to curl your hair or just to 'set' the colours into your hair. Finish off with hairspray if needed.
• Please note the chalking powder may come off during the night - try to wear dark colours or same colours as hair to avoid the stains showing.
• Be careful of wet weather! Rain will make the chalk run, and you definitely do not want that happening. Use gloves and towels to avoid getting the chalk everywhere as you apply.

I found a great beauty tutorial here on The Beauty Department. This article comes with some very helpful tips! I used 5 colours - pastel pinks, dark purples, greens and blues. I applied to the front layers of my hair. But you can use your imagination and use as many colours as you like.

After I shampooed, I used my Goldwell conditioning treatment to treat my ends, I won't lie, the chalking really dried out my hair. So I won't do it often, but I love it still.

Happy Chalking!

xx Natalie

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