Sabrina, Author at The Beauty Look Book

Sisley-Paris

Sisley-Paris September Subscription Box Spotlight

September 4, 2017

Earlier in the summer I shared a look at the Sisley-Paris Subscription Service featuring 6 month’s worth of boxes. I’ve been exploring more from Sisley over the past few months and have been extremely impressed – it’s truly everything so many of you have raved about! This is the first year I’ve tried the Sisley Subscription Service and it’s hands down the best one I’ve tried for beauty. Finding good skincare that works can be a tricky process as we all have such different skin types and needs. Factors like age, sensitivity and climate also make a huge difference on being able to find what works. Being able to sample skincare before investing in it is essential to me. I love brands that offer a subscription program, travel/trial sets or smaller-sized options. I’m more likely to splurge if I’m able to try something first to see if it will work! The Sisley Subscription Service comes in 6 or 12-month option at an affordable price. Each month you receive 5 samples in the mail – it’s been the perfect way for me to explore the line and the samples they send you are the good ones!

Each month has a different theme. September’s box contains five of Sisley’s Most-Talked About Items. I’ve discovered a few new holy grails. As you can see in the image directly below, the subscription comes with deluxe sized miniatures. There are 5 per month in each box:

I have all five in the full sizes to review for you. I was lucky to get an early preview of these so I could put them to the test. I’ve been dying to share thoughts on these and am thrilled I can do so today!

Express Flower Gel Mask is a hydrating and toning mask. It gives the skin a refresh in just 3 minutes with lily and iris extracts to give it a serious boost of hydration. This is one of the most soothing masks I’ve ever used and skin is baby soft after use. Out of all the face masks I’ve tried this one gives me the softest skin I’ve ever felt.

Eye Contour Mask is an eye mask that you leave on for 10 minutes and then wipe off without rinsing. When it comes to eye concerns my biggest one is with puffiness. This one works well to reduce swelling when I’ve had a long day or didn’t sleep well. It has a semi-thick cooling feel once you apply it. After I remove it my eye area is well hydrated and refreshed.

So Intense Mascara is a classic must-have. I just discovered it a few months ago and it has a tiny comb that catches all the lashes right from the base. It has a rich black color that dries quickly. It holds the curl, adds definition and volume and doesn’t smudge on me. I can’t believe I didn’t try it sooner.

Gentle Buffing Cream is exactly as the name implies. I struggle with face scrubs as I have extremely sensitive skin. This one is very gentle and you apply it to clean dry skin. You let it dry for a few minutes then massage and buff until the particles disappear. A little goes a long way and the jar has a generous amount. Rinse with water and skin is softly exfoliated and is left smooth without that dried out raw feeling.

Soir D’Orient is one of the deepest spiciest fragrances I’ve tried. It’s a spicy floral that dries down to a rich rose. It has a deep vibe that feels like fall. Top botes are saffron accord, middle notes include Turkish Rose and the base has Somalian Incense. It’s a unisex scent that both my husband and I tried. We both feel it pulls a bit more feminine but could go either way. For this one I recommend letting it sit for a minute to see how it transforms – the dry down is really beautiful. Lasting power is strong and it remains on my skin from morning to early evening.

I think all of September’s box contents are a hit. My favorites are the Gentle Buffing Cream and Express Flower Gel Mask. You can find the Sisley Subscription Service exclusively online at their U.S. website.

As a bonus I’m thrilled that Sisley has offered to do an amazing giveaway to 5 U.S. readers! Five distinct U.S. readers will be selected via the Rafflecopter widget to receive a 6-month Sisley-Paris Beauty Subscription. To enter – you must follow all 3 steps in the widget below for us to collect entries:

Open to U.S. residents only
Must be 18 years or older
Follow steps in widget to 1) follow @beautylookbook on Instagram 2) follow @sisleyparisusa on instagram and 3) sign up for the Sisley-Paris newsletter (all three are linked via the widget below)
Note you must complete all 3 tasks!
Giveaway will run from 9/4/2017 to 9/9/2017 11:45 PM EST
Five U.S. winners will be selected within 24 hours after the giveaway period ends and contacted by me for information
Winner information will be passed along to Sisley-Paris USA
Selected winners will each receive a 6-month beauty subscription from Sisley-Paris

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Have you tried any Sisley-Paris skincare or makeup? What are your favorite items?

Items provided courtesy of Sisley for me to be their ambassador for September. Giveaway also provided courtesy of Sisley.

20 Comments

Clarins Skincare

Clarins Double Serum #NextGenSerum

September 1, 2017

One of my newest skincare discoveries is the Clarins Double Serum Hydric + Lipidic Serum ($89 for 1 fl oz/30 ml). This is a reformulation of one of Clarins’ cult anti-aging classics which they call their Next Generation Serum. I’ve never tried the previous versions but Clarins reached out and asked me to put this one to the test and after regular daily use I can say it’s a winner for me.

The Clarins Double Serum is an age control serum. It’s packed with two anti-aging serums in one and there’s a dial that allows you to control the dosage you dispense. I’ve been using the smaller one as I find it is better suited for my combination skin, warm climate and summer season. The larger dose is what they call a power shot for normal or dry skin, cold dry climates or winter. I’ve tried both dosage options and for me the smaller dose is the best for both day and night. The power shot was too strong and rich for my skin to handle, even at night.

This is a wrinkle treatment that has 20+ plant extracts including Tumeric to help with wrinkles, fine lines and boost radiance. The description says you’ll see results in 7 days and after using this a multitude of ways I have definitely seen an improvement in skin texture. I did see results after using this daily for 7 days (morning and night) and I did notice brighter smoother skin after that period. I especially noticed improvement when using this at night – I find my skin noticably smoother and fine lines diminished on my forehead when I wake up.

I’ve continued using this for the past month on a regular basis although after the 7 day period I’ve used it on and off with other serums in my routine for day but have used it nightly on a more regular basis. The smaller dose allows the product to last longer for me as a little goes a long way. If you think you’ll use the larger dose and have dry skin I’d recommend option for the larger size.

I have very sensitive skin – you might have noticed that I am prone to allergic reactions with a lot of fragranced skincare and even foundations. This one was suitable for my sensitive skin without any irritation. It doesn’t leave any sticky residue even though it has that serum formula. Application is smooth and easy to apply and the best thing about this one is that I’ve found it compatible with all my other moisturizers from other brands so I don’t have to switch around what I use with this one. A quick note on serums though is that I think they are best worn with a regular moisturizer on top – especially if you wear foundation or any kind of base product.

The packaging is phenomenal – it’s well designed, sturdy, has the right size/shape to hold easily in the hand. It also comes with a sturdy cap to protect the pump. The pump will dispense both phases into your hand – you just need to rub them together to combine before applying to your face. I have a huge appreciation for packaging that is functional, sturdy and innovative – I really like the way this serum has been put together.

Below you can see the two serums have been dispensed – it’s separated when you first pump it out but it blends easily in the hands before you apply to the face.

Ingredients: Aqua/Water/Eau, Cetearyl Isononanoate, Glycerin, Isononyl Isononanoate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Pentylene Glycol, Ppg-3 Myristyl Ether, Ethylene/Propylene/Styrene Copolymer, Dipsacus Sylvestris Extract, Butylene Glycol, Parfum/ Fragrance, Phenoxyethanol, Propanediol, Tromethamine, Silybum Marianum Seed Oil, Carbomer, Tocopheryl Acetate, Escin, Cheno -Podium Quinoa Seed Extract, Ethylhexylglycerin, Squalane, Avena Sativa (Oat) Kernel Extract, Theobroma Cacao (Cocoa) Extract, Butylene/Ethylene/Styrene Copolymer, Leontopodium Alpinum Extract, Xanthan Gum, Persea Gratissima (Avocado) Oil Unsaponifiables, Caramel, Curcuma Longa (Turmeric) Root Extract, Salicyloyl Phytosphingosine, Musa Sapientum (Banana) Fruit Extract, Salicornia Herbacea Extract, Actinidia Chinensis (Kiwi) Fruit Extract, Kalanchoe Pinnata Leaf Extract, Sodium Benzoate, Citric Acid, Myrothamnus Flabellifolia Leaf/Stem Extract, Disodium Edta, Tocopherol, Lycium Barbarum Fruit Extract, Maltodextrin, Orthosiphon Stamineus Extract, Hedychium Coronarium Root Extract, Mangifera Indica (Mango) Leaf Extract, Potassium Sorbate, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, Jania Rubens Extract, Ascorbic Acid, Sodium Citrate, Engelhardtia Chrysolepis Leaf Extract, Ci 14700/Red 4, Callicarpa Japonica Fruit Extract.

Bottom line a solid winner and exactly what I need for my skin now that fine lines have started to surface on my face. You can find the Clarins Double Serum in two sizes in a 1.0 oz ($89) and 1.6 oz ($122), available at Clarins and Dillard’s and all other Clarins counters.

Have you tried this one yet? If not do you have any Clarins skincare favorites? I’m obsessed with their lip oils!

Thanks to Clarins for partnering to sponsor this post.

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California Packing Travel

The Palace Hotel + Travel Packing List for San Francisco

August 31, 2017

Today’s post is Part 2 of my San Francisco Travel Diary with a review of the Palace Hotel and my pack list with the Bigger Carry-On from Away’s new Stockholm Collection. In past years my husband and I usually stay at the Westin St. Francis on our San Francisco trips because we fell in love with the cute romantic vibe in their Landmark Building. This visit was a girls trip so I decided to try something new decided to give the Palace Hotel a try. The beautiful Garden Court is what sold me – it just looks magical! The reviews looked promising for cleanliness and comfort so I booked a room with 2 double beds. When we checked in they gave us one on the 7th floor with the New Montgomery Street View and it was just perfect. We didn’t hear any street noise and it came with one of the Toto Washlet and with heated seats. The rooms are on the small size which was expected for the city but the room was pristine with comfortable beds, amazingly soft linens, extra towels and really cute turn down service. Upon check-in I was given a small bag of Ghirardelli Chocolates as they have a store right outside the hotel. For me it was a win right from the start!

A look a the entrance:

We wanted to try the Garden Court for tea but didn’t make it this round, the lighting is just so pretty. If you look up you can see there’s another floor with a room which we assumed was reserved for special events or weddings. We tried to find the door to it but could not.

Away Bigger Carry On in Clay:

There is a pool and a nice gym on the 4th floor which we took a peek at – we didn’t get to use it though as each day we did quite a bit of walking. Enough to wear us out completely!

A look at the room we booked, cute hallways on each floor!

Double Bed Room:

View from the 7th Floor, New Montgomery Street View:

Bathroom and a quick selfie, sweater top from Club Monaco, jeans from Hudson, jacket old style from Joie (similar here and here), flats by Chloe:

What I packed below. As mentioned in Part 1 – both Laura and I under packed for the weather. She flew in from Los Angeles and I flew in from Tampa where the weather is in the high 90s. Our clothes simply were not warm enough for what we’re used to but we made it work by layering. Since 75% of our outfits were too cold we re-wore a lot of our sweaters and pants. I brought the Away Bigger Carry-On in Clay which is the perfect warm clay pink color. It’s part of the Rashida Jones Stockholm collection with 3 limited-edition colors, Packing Cubes and a Stockholm tote (new current packing cubes here). My husband is the organized one who knows all the packing tips and tricks to make life easier so he bought me packing cubes for our Europe trip a few years ago. They do indeed help organize things but they’re not really the most aesthetically pleasing. It’s a minor detail but these Away cubes are the prettiest ones I’ve seen. I’ve already ordered a few more packs.

I didn’t have time to photograph all the outfits I packed and since I didn’t wear everything I’ll list what I fit inside the Bigger Carry-On Size. You can also see this post from spring here and here of what goes inside this size. My pack list, I’ve linked the items I packed as well in case you are curious:

2 pairs of jeans (I usually wear the Paige Verdugo Ankles because they’re good for my height) and 1 pair that I wore on the plane
2 shirts, one long sleeve button down from AG, one off-shoulder top from Rag and Bone
1 brown leather jacket from Joie (old style, similar here and here) and 1 short trench I wore on the plane (from Jcrew, old style, long classic version here)
1 pair of running shoes from Nike
1 pair of flats from Chloe
1 shift dress (old)
2 pairs of yoga pants to sleep/lounge in
4 tank tops to sleep in or layer (I love these from Madewell)
2 sweaters from Club Monaco
1 belt
socks and underwear
Leica Instant print camera (but I forgot to pack the film!)
tech stuff like laptop charger, phone cords etc.
makeup and skincare will be listed below

Before I go into my beauty pack list, here’s a look at the Bigger Carry-On next to the Stockholm Tote. The tote is made of “water-resistant nylon with vegan leather details and featuring a zip top, an exterior pocket, interior laptop sleeve, two interior snap pockets, and a removable zippered pouch that fits the really big iPhone.” I didn’t take it with me on this trip but I wish I had. One of the biggest issues I have with my larger totes is they don’t have good pockets or compartments inside (I should probably invest in an insert at some point!). The Stockholm tote is simple, streamlined and functional with enough pockets to store essentials for easy access. The depth is quite roomy so you don’t have to feel like magazines and your laptop are stuffed inside.

The Bigger Carry On measures 22.7” x 14.7” x 9.6” Weight 7.3 lbs Capacity 46L
The Tote measures 13.5” x 12” x 4.5” and can fit an 11” MacBook, cross body strap drop is 18″

A look at my suitcase opened with the tote laid on top for size reference. I received the Cactus Packing Cubes from Away and for this trip I only used 3 of the 4 in the set. There are different sizes so you can organize literally everything. Shown below on the left is the Daily Edited Large Cosmetic Case in black (largest one one of the best travel makeup cases I’ve bought!), Leica Sofort, Sony NEX-6 (discontinued, old model), Marc Jacobs Rimless Aviators (current style here). On the right is a Glossier Pouch (you usually get them with your orders), Truffle Mini Clarity Clutch, mophie Powerstation Mini (2,500mAh) – White, Here Magazine and a Sugarfina Cube of Pineapple Candy.

A few notes if you’re shopping for luggage and missed my previous reviews on Away. I discovered them in 2015 when they only had 1 size (the Carry-On) and have used their suitcases exclusively for the past few years because of the streamlined design, sturdy exterior, charging component in carry-on and for their really good wheels. I’ve literally bought all my loved-ones suitcases as gifts and converted them all to using them as well! I’ve tried both the regular Carry-On which is best for international flights and the Bigger Carry-On which works on most US Domestic Flights. You can see a size comparison with dimensions on their website here which is really helpful – they’ve done the research to help you decide! As a carry-on traveler this really can fit a lot inside because the handles, battery and wheels don’t consume a lot of space on the inside while a lot of other brands do.

I have checked these on occasion even though I usually do carry-ons. My husband has checked his a lot too. They are prone to scuffs and scratches, but really anything you check is bound to get scratched. With mine I used it on 3 back to back flights and it didn’t get any deep scratches. For surface scuffs the team at Away recommends you use a Mr. Clean Magic Eraser and warm water to remove them and for me it works like a charm.

The makeup I brought with me (items that were press samples will be marked with a *)

Daily Edited Large Cosmetic Case in Black (I got the blind monogram which is a hot stamp instead of the gold embossing, I also bought this in Taupe)
Tom Ford Waterproof Foundation and Concealer in Sable (review here)
Marc Jacobs Eye-Conic Multi-Finish Eyeshadow Palette in Glambition (review here)
Charlotte Tilbury Pillow Talk Lipstick * (review here)
Milk Makeup Flex Concealer in Medium (review soon)
Diorskin Forever Undercover Concealer in 31 (review soon)
Marc Jacobs Highliner Gel Crayon in Earthquake * (swatched here)
NARS Velvet Shadow Stick in Siros and Corfu
Laura Mercier Caviar Eye Stick in Copper
Tom Ford Soleil Palette (never reviewed this one, but I did swatch the Warm and Cool ones here, I bought it after months of wishing for it, turns out it’s too similar to the other two, but I still love it)
L’Oreal Lash Paradise Waterproof Mascara * (review here)
Sisley So Intense Mascara (review here)
Sisley Phyto Twist in Glow * (review here)
Chanel Les Beige Healthy Glow Eye Palette * (review here)
NARS Velvet Lip Glide in Bound
Hourglass Confession Lipstick in * If Only
Dior Lip Glow Pomade
Glossier Wowder Brush
Charlotte Tilbury Flawless Powder #2
Armani Luminous Silk Powder #4 (not shown)
Becca Chrissy Teigen Palette (review here)

My skincare lineup shown below. Believe it or not all of my liquids did indeed fit inside a single quart size bag. I had to play around with the arrangement like Tetris a few times to make everything fit as I’m a carry-on traveler. If you’ve been following this blog for years, you may remember that I actually made it through a month-long trip in Europe with a carry-on backpack.

Charlotte Tilbury Take It All Off Remover from the Red Carpet Set *
Tatcha The Essence Mini from one of the Starter Ritual Sets *
Clarins Double Serum * (review soon! I’ve been using this for the last month)
Sisley Paris miniatures from the Subscription Program *
Sisley Double Tenseur *
111Skin Space Defence Bright Eye Lift Gel (mini GWP)
Kate Somerville Exfolikate Cleanser (mini)
Caudalie Vinoperfect Radiance Serum *
111Skin Celestial Black Diamond Retinol Oil *
Lavanilla Deoderant mini
Tatcha Lifting Sheet Masks (not shown)
111Skin Bio Cellulose Sheet Masks (not shown)
Moroccanoil Treatment mini (not shown)
Cotton pads (not shown)

I missed having my hair dryer, but San Francisco water is so much better than Tampa water – my hair was naturally shiny and smooth during my trip with air drying! I also packed an assortment of tools like makeup brushes, lash curler and hair brush but didn’t photograph them before unpacking. As usual I packed too much – I did use everything I brought in skincare, but makeup was a bit overdone.

One last look at the beautiful hotel:

I hope you enjoyed this review of the hotel and what I packed! We had a lovely stay at The Palace Hotel – I’d definitely consider staying here again on my next visit. If you travel to San Francisco occasionally where do you usually stay? Open to any and all recommendations!

P.S. My posting schedule has been a bit off lately as I’m living the nomadic life right now. I’ll be heading to New York, California (again) and back to Florida in September. Florida life recap post is still coming – I know many of you are curious where/why we are moving and I’ll explain more in a future post. Long story short we now get to explore different areas of Florida and it’s been quite an adventure but an unexpectedly great experience. I still cannot believe how BIG Florida is and since moving here and most of my West Coast friends don’t know how spread out everything is. I have to show them maps to explain how long it takes to drive from area to area. Beauty posts to resume soon. I’ve still been putting a lot to the test to review here!

Beauty and skincare press samples indicated with a *. Away Stockholm Collection provided for review. We paid for our room, however a media rate was extended to us by The Palace Hotel for this review. As always all opinions my own.

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Boutique California Travel

San Francisco Travel Diary

August 30, 2017

I’m excited to share Part 1 of my San Francisco trip with you today! Last week I went on a mini girls trip to San Francisco with my bestie Laura. It has been around four years since I last visited the city and was thrilled to have a few days to explore, shop and eat. We made a shared Google map listing all the places we wanted to visit and most of them were either bakeries or breakfast places. In total we had around 3 days to see everything so after we made an enormous travel wish list we narrowed our top picks to pace ourselves and give us enough time to chat and catch up since we now live on opposite coasts. We stayed at the Palace Hotel San Francisco which was the first time either of us had visited this hotel. Both of us had a great experience here and loved the customer service – we both agreed that it’s one we would both most likely return to on future San Francisco trips (more on this in Part 2 coming soon).

We covered quite a bit of ground during our stay. I’ve thought about how to share our trip and decided for this post it would be most helpful to share this in a San Francisco in 3 days kind of format. Our trip was really spread over 4 days including travel time, but our actual time in the city was around 3 so if you’re planning a quick trip or extended weekend kind of vacation this might be helpful. We both would have loved to be able to say the entire trip was a hit filled with all amazing experiences. We actually had a few misses, but we didn’t let it spoil our fun. If anything it made for some good memories we can laugh about in the future.

Day 1: Thursday

I flew into San Francisco in the morning and arrived around noon. The trip from SFO to the city was around 35 minutes. We both arrived at different times so I had a few hours to walk around Union Square and stopped by Barneys and Sephora (bought the Milk Blur Liquid Matte Foundation in Golden Sand). After Laura arrived in the city, we walked to the Nespresso Boutique excited for good coffee and a light sandwich but were both extremely disappointed with the poor service and food quality. Both of us have been to Nespresso cafes before so we were shocked at the rude service, dirty tables, incorrect coffee orders and long wait time we experienced after we were seated. Based on our experience I will never be eating here ever again. However we did not let that spoil our spirits and we decided to walk around Union Square to do some window shopping.

By the time we checked into our hotel room we completely forgot the sour experience at Nespresso as our hotel room was just so adorable and it had the perfect setup. We had a New Montgomery Street view room (around 300 sq feet) on the 7th floor. It was on the small side but the rooms looked like they had been renovated within at least the last year. The bathrooms were modern and everything was clean and pristine inside. The toilet seats were heated and now I want one of my own. More on this lovely hotel in Part 2!

For dinner we met up with one of Laura’s friends at Nopa. All of us fell in love with this place and thought it was well worth the long wait. The restaurant books up pretty fast and by the time I had tried to make reservations there was nothing left! They do have a bar area and shared table which is unreserved and open on a first come first serve basis. We arrived at around 6:10 and every seat was already filled so we waited 30 minutes at the bar and had some drinks before something opened at the shared table. The food was phenomenal and the drinks were amazing. We did some shared plates which was plenty of food for the three of us and I ate the best tomato salad I’ve ever had in my life. Service was quick and professional – if you’re not a fan of crowded restaurants you definitely should make reservations in advance. After dinner we walked around the corner to a small market and bought some cookies for dessert before heading back to the hotel to wind down. At the hotel we both whipped out some sheet masks I had brought while we watched TV until we passed out granny style lol.

Day 2: Friday

Our priority on this trip was a visit to Tartine Bakery. We had both been here before on separate occasions and fell in love. Tartine is on my must-do list for every SF trip! This round it was every bit as amazing as we had remembered. I got my usual which is a morning bun, croque monsieur and a latte. Laura got her usual which is the ham and cheese croissant but also tried a few other new pastries including a lemon poppy seed cake. We heard that a restaurant opened called Tartine Manufactory but we didn’t make it this round. After breakfast we headed to Alamo Square to see the Painted Ladies – it was such a beautiful area and we were really surprised how many people we already in the park sitting to take in the city views. We spent around 30 minutes sitting and snapping pictures.

Our next stop was Fillmore Street where we stopped by Space NK and the store is beautiful! If you’re looking for an intimate and quiet place to do some beauty shopping this is it. The staff at the individual stores are always so nice, not pushy and really helpful. I bought a pack of 111SKIN Sheet Masks because I find them life changing. I also picked up a By Terry Glow Expert Duo Stick in Amber Light (excited to try this) along with a Stylo Blackstar in Maroon Glace (also excited to see how this wears!). I convinced Laura to buy a pack of the 111Skin sheet masks as well. She bought the By Terry Hyaluronic Hydra-Primer – I’ll have to ask her what she thinks about it. We wandered around Fillmore a bit more and stumbled across an Atelier Cologne boutique. I had to stop inside as I’ve never seen a full store before. We were helped by an associate named Homer who was one of the most knowledgeable perfume experts I’ve ever met. He was patient, friendly and helped us sample almost everything in the store. I bought Bois Blonde in the travel size. There are also sampler sets you can buy as well in case you can’t smell them all in person. If you can stop by a boutique I highly recommend it, the service is phenomenal and they aren’t pushy at all. These days I find retail shopping can often be an unpleasant experience (outside of Sephora or Nordstrom) with pushy sales reps or reps who don’t know the products well. Both SpaceNK and Atelier Cologne had excellent service with knowledgeable staff that were friendly and fun. Plus the interiors are well maintained and clean!

The day ended with an amazing dinner at Gary Danko. I’ve been here several times with my husband (reservations are highly recommended) and it’s one of the best restaurants I’ve been to with a fancy yet unpretentious atmosphere. The experience is truly special and words cannot explain how lovely this place is.

Day 3: Saturday

We decided this was the day we would do some hiking and get some good photos of the Golden Gate Bridge. Unfortunately it was cloudy everywhere we went! We started the day at Land’s End. It was foggy but still beautiful for a short hike. We started at the Suttro Baths end made it to the half-way point until we reached the steep staircase, took a look at it, decided we didn’t want to go up hill to check out the view on the other side and turned back to look for some food. The total hike was around 2 miles to the half way point and was really easy. Later on the trip my friends told me if I was hiking there to get good views and photos all I had to do was walk to the end and take an Uber to the other side, snap a picture and then fake tell everyone I hiked the whole trail. If it weren’t cloudy and my friend wasn’t expecting I probably would have tried to walk all the way.

Our food adventures this day were misses. We decided to look for some Bun Mee so Laura googled “best bunmee SF” and we decided to try a place called Saigon Sandwich because it had over 2,800 reviews with a 4.5 star rating. We did not realize this was in the Tenderloin nor did we really know what the Tenderloin was like. We navigated through some pretty rough areas where the streets were filled with drug addicts and twitching people. We both thought there was a chance we’d get stabbed. Still we braved the few blocks to the sandwich shop and both opted for the combination sandwich. This place is a take out kind without seating so we decided to take our sandwiches to Union Square out of the Tenderloin to eat them. Based on the high rave reviews we let down but perhaps we had too high expectations. Neither of us finished our sandwiches – maybe we just got the wrong kind. The meat was flavorless for me and the bread was super crunchy. Laura thought her tooth broke after she took a bite. Since we were in Union Square, we decided our next stop would be Diptyque on Geary Street and it was just so beautiful inside! I had visited the original one on Maiden Lane but they moved locations into a new space. I bought two mini candles to take home as a souvenir in Baies and Verveine.

By mid-day we decided to search for something sweet and headed to Miette for some pastries. We ended up going to the location with mostly candy and macarons instead of the one with cakes but decided to try the ice cream sandwiches which barely had any taste. We decided after a few bites they weren’t worth the calories and didn’t finish them. As an FYI we went to the Miette on Octavia Street. When we arrived at the store we were told the one at the Ferry Building had a larger selection of cakes and cupcakes so if this is on your list, I’d recommend you go to the one at the Ferry Building instead.

After two semi-fails for food we decided to visit Media Noche which also had high ratings for great Cuban food. I ordered the Lechon Bowl and Laura ordered a Media Noche sandwich with some empanadas. We’re both obsessed with Cuban food and had high hopes. I’d give it a solid B+ rating but the local Cuban sandwich shop in St. Petersburg Florida has pretty much ruined me for life as I now consider this the standard for the best Cuban food I’ve had and to date nothing has come close in comparison. We notices reviews on Yelp complained about the small portions and we found the portions quite generous. The Agua Fresca of the day was quite amazing there, SF has some of the best fresh drinks and juices I’ve ever had.

We decided to give our food adventures one last try in search for some ice cream. We both had Bi-Rite Creamery on our list (which I’ve already tried and really liked) but there was one right down the street about a block or two away called Garden Creamery which has good reviews and interesting sounding flavors. There was a long line out the door when we arrived but it was probably only a 10 minute wait. They’ll let you sample flavors when you get to the counter and I got two variations of coconut. It was perfectly smooth and creamy without being overly sweet. They also have dairy free vegan options. I liked it enough that I would definitely go back – the flavors are so unique! Little details like that make places special. Just an FYI their “single” option is actually two scoops and you can either get 2 of the same flavor or 2 different ones.

The last part of our day was to try and catch the sunset by the Golden Gate Bridge. We took an Uber directly to the Golden Gate Bridge Welcome Center and much to our dismay the fog had rolled in. The wind was pretty strong so we waited around 30 minutes hoping it would pass as we walked around but had little luck. It was still fun to see the interesting weather.

Day 4: Sunday

This was our last day together in the city. We started the day off with another visit to Tartine then headed to Golden Gate Park to see the Conservatory of Flowers and California Academy of Sciences which has one of the most impressive aquariums we had ever seen. There’s a fun butterfly exhibit inside their rainforest section with some of the biggest butterflies I’ve ever seen. I didn’t leave until the next day so after saying goodbye to my friend at the hotel I wandered around the city for a few hours to stop by Bloomingdales to pick up the Charlotte Tilbury exclusive lipstick Miss Bloomingdale. I also stopped by Nordstrom and bought one of the Dior Rouge Liquid Lip in Delicate Satin and a MAC Dazzleglass in Sugarrimmed. They had a mini Sugarfina boutique inside so I picked up several cubes of candy as there isn’t one in Tampa. I met up with friends in town that night and we had dinner in the Castro at a cute place called Finn Town which was delicious and I would definitely go back to.

A few other thoughts and notes:

Navigating the city: San Francisco is the perfect place you can travel to without a car. It’s actually better not to have one. We got around easily on the Muni, Bart and Uber. Like any major urban city, there are going to be busy times that aren’t ideal for getting around quickly in which case Uber is usually a better option but a lot more expensive. Out of all the big cities I’ve visited, navigating the San Francisco is probably one of the easiest and most straight forward even for a novice traveler.
Weather can be unpredictable: Laura flew in from Los Angeles and I flew in from Tampa. Both of us had looked at the weather reports and still under packed by a long shot in terms of warm clothes. We doubled up on our sweaters and long sleeve shirts and even though we had a warm weekend there were times we felt like we were freezing.
There’s so much more we wanted to see. There was a lot on our list we didn’t get to but we felt like we accomplished a lot in a short amount of time.
Food highlights: Tartine, Nopa and Gary Danko.

I hope you enjoyed this San Francisco roundup! We covered a lot of ground in a few days. Part 2 to follow with a packing list and recap of our stay at the Palace Hotel. Have you done short trips to San Francisco? What are your favorite spots? Any go-to restaurants or bakeries you love?

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Beauty Loving Right Now

Loving Right Now + Giveaway

August 29, 2017

I’m back in Florida compiling my photos and notes from my San Francisco trip and hope to have the first travel post up tomorrow. I’ve failed miserably trying to blog and travel at the same time although if you follow me on Instagram you’ve seen snippets of our travels. I’m so touched by your comments and recommendations and was even so surprised a few of you recognized me in the city while I was wandering the Union Square area and stopped me to say hello. A quick roundup of some things I’m loving right now and I’m giving away my extras of these in this post to 1 lucky winner. Details on how to enter at the bottom of this post in the widget but a few notes on current favorites.

Oribe Gold Lust Dry Shampoo 2.2 oz (mini) is my favorite dry shampoo, I love the scent and the fact that it doesn’t leave a white cast on my dark hair
Chanel Ombre Premiere Longwear Eyeshadow Cream in Scintillance (full size) is one of the longest lasting eyeshadows I’ve tried (swatched here)
Laura Mercier Face Illuminators (full size) are among my favorite highlighters, Addiction is shown which is a yellow gold but I really like all the colors
Laura Mercier Caviar Eye Sticks (full size) are a regular staple in my beauty routine, I am obsessed with Rose Gold and Copper
Christophe Robin Regenerating Mask (mini) is another one I really like, I have an extra of this which is why I’m giving it away!
Glossier Wowder Brush is such a great synthetic pink brush, I love the little zip pouch it comes with too
Tatcha The Essence (mini 20 ml) is the best essence I’ve tried, it works in a wide range of climates for me and helps keep skin plump and hydrated, it’s lightweight but effective – I notice a difference when I stop using it! (Individual travel size is sold out, but you can find it in their sets)
Tatcha Sheet Mask (full size, x1) a classic no-fuss mask that adds the perfect amount of hydration
111SKIN Bio Cellulose Facial Treatment Mask (full size, x1) hands down the best sheet mask I’ve tried (review soon, but I already bought 2 boxes)
NARS Velvet Lip Glide (full size) is one of the best velvet lip products I’ve tried – it’s great for those who don’t like the liquid lip trend but still want to try something with a velvety finish
Glossier Pouch is something I carry with me frequently – they’re good throw in the bag things and the bubbles help protect compacts, the zipper isn’t the best and often breaks on me but I still like them
Truffle Clarity Clutch in Black (small) you ladies know I love these clear zip pouches, they go with me everywhere!

To enter my giveaway simply enter through the Rafflecopter widget below, perform at least 1 of the entry tasks.

It’s open internationally but you must be 18 years or older to qualify.
Giveaway will run through Monday September 4th at 11:45 PM EST.
I’ll select 1 winner at random through the widget and e-mail them for their contact info within 24 hours after giveaway ends.
Winner must respond within 24 hours otherwise another winner will be selected in their place.
Note all entries are subject to verification. Giveaway not affiliated or sponsored with anyone.
1 winner will receive 1 of each item listed: Oribe Gold Lust Dry Shampoo (mini 2.2 oz), Chanel Ombre Premiere Cream Shadow in Scintillance, Laura Mercier Face Illuminator in Addiction, Laura Mercier Caviar Eye Stick Full Size (winner’s choice), Christophe Robin Mini Regenerating Mask, Glossier Wowder Brush, Tatcha Essence (mini 20 ml size), Tatcha Sheet Mask (x1), 111SKIN Biol Cellulose Sheet Mask (x1), NARS Velvet Lip Glide (full size, winner’s choice), Glossier Pouch, Truffle Clarity Clutch Black Small.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Good luck!

250 Comments

California Packing Travel

Travel Beauty + Packing For San Francisco

August 26, 2017

I’ve been a bit MIA as I’m currently in San Francisco for a quick girls trip! It has been quite a few years since I’ve visited San Francisco and I’m beyond thrilled to be back. I’ll have a full packing post, SF travel diary and a little shopping feature coming up soon. In the meantime I’ve rounded up some of my favorite travel beauty sets you can buy right now. I always try to hoard my minis and samples but sometimes they’re just too good to save for trips. I love it when brands have travel sizes or sets available for purchase because then I don’t have to decant anything into mini jars or bottles. I really like original packaging anyways.

First I wanted to mention that Away launched a new collection in collaboration with Rashida Jones with three new colors and these are the best colors yet! The launch is called The Stockholm Edition as it was inspired by Scandinavian designs and colors. There are new colors three available in Clay (shown here), Cactus and Violet. Also launched with the Stockholm Collection is a new Stockholm Tote made of black water-resistant nylon and vegan leather. It has a sleeve in the back to slide over the handles of the suitcase for easy carrying. They’ve also launched coordinating colors in packing cubes. Full review to follow soon but the packing cubes are the best looking packing cubes I’ve ever seen while still being super functional.

For those who love Away they’ve also launched a new magazine called Here.

Up first is haircare. I love travel-sized haircare! Often times it’s what I’ll buy first before buying the full sizes. I think they’re such a great way to try things and I love testing all kinds of shampoos and conditioners. My obsession can get a bit out of hand with all the bottles and jars that accumulate in the shower, but I love minis. The Ouai Morning After Kit at Nordstrom has the perfect size travel items with the Rose Hair and Body Oil, Finishing Creme and Dry Shampoo Foam (also available at Net-A-Porter). For brushes I usually bring a few with me, my favorite travel-sized one is the Sephora Collection Luxe Combo Travel Brush. There’s also a Christophe Robin exclusive to Net-A-Porter called the Essentials Kit with minis of the Moisturizing Hair Cream, Regenerating Mask, Cleansing Mask and Cleansing Purifiying Scrub with Sea Salt. I’ve tried and love all of these but I know some of you may have been hesitant to buy the full size as the price points are on the expensive side. This is a great way to sample them. You can also find some of the mini sizes at Sephora with a mini Cleansing Purifying Scrub, Detox Ritual Hair Kit and Regenerating Hair Ritual Travel Kit.

In skincare, Tatcha has the best travel sizes. The packaging is well designed and they have good sizes for several days worth. I’ve already bought and featured the Starter Ritual for Normal to Oily Skin (currently sold out). Below is the Starter Ritual Set for Normal to Dry Skin with travel sizes of the One Step Camellia Cleansing Oil, Classic Rice Enzyme Powder, Essence and Silk Cream. I think these are really phenomenal sets perfect for travel.

The Sisley-Paris Subscription Program is one of the best ways to try Sisley skincare at an affordable price. Many of you commented you had already subscribed and kept the minis for travel which I think is genius. I’ve discovered quite a few amazing items from this program. You can see a 6 month review here.

Another set I tried recently was the Belif Best Sellers Travel Set. I bought it at Sephora curious about the items in the line as I really liked the Aqua Bomb. I haven’t been able to test everything yet but found it priced reasonably to give the other items a go. Let me know if you want a review!

Two sets I’ve been loving include the NARSissist Velvet Lip Glide Set exclusive to Ulta (5 of the 6 colors shown below, all reviewed here). For perfume I wish more brands had travel-sized or purse sized minis. The Jo Malone Cologne Set is one of my favorites. They change seasonally. Mine is from Nordstrom but I suspect new ones will launch come holiday.

Charlotte Tilbury skincare can get pretty spendy and her Gift of Red Carpet Skin Travel Kit is a nice way to try a lot of deluxe sized minis at a lower price. This one is TSA friendly with 15 ml tubes of her Goddess Skin Clay Mask, Multi Miracle Glow, Magic Cream, Wonderglow, Supermodel Body and Take it all off. I’ve loved and used up an entire jar of her Magic Cream and tube of the Wonderglow (full size) and they lasted me a very long time. These minis are perfect for travel – I think you can get quite a bit of use out of them too. There’s enough product to get a really good feel for how the product will perform on your skin.

One last travel favorite is the Aesop Boston Kit. I’m such a huge fan of Aesop and the kits are a nice way to try multiple things. You can see the full review of this one here.

For those curious the other accessories shown above:

Away Bigger Carry On in Clay
Away Mini Travel Case from Pop Suki Collab (not available for sale)
Glossier Wowder Brush
Leica Sofort Instant Camera
The Daily Edited Large Cosmetic Case in Black (best large makeup case I’ve found! I also ordered it in Taupe)
Marc Jacobs Rimless Sunglasses
Truffle Mini Clarity Clutch (shown in top photo)
Glossier Cloud Paint

Do you also hoard your minis and samples for travel or do you buy sets like me? I’m a carry-on traveler so I have to abide by the quart-size bag limit. I know many of you check luggage so this isn’t an issue, but as one who prefers to travel light I love it when I can find travel sizes that I can buy for trips.

Stay tuned for the SF roundup! I didn’t bring all of these travel sets with me although I did mix and match for 4 days worth of travel.

Press samples featured include the Away Stockholm Collection, Tatcha Starter Ritual Set and Charlotte Tilbury Skincare Set.

23 Comments

Beauty Skincare

Coconut Love with Kopari Hydrating Multitaskers

August 23, 2017

I first discovered the Kopari Coconut Melt earlier this spring and as the ultimate coconut lover I feel like it was made for me. It’s a simple multitasking product you can use in a number of ways on the face, hair and body and it has been a skin savior for me since relocating to the east coast with the Florida. The water, heat, ocean and pools have all contributed to drying out my skin. Regular use of the Coconut Melt helps restore my skin to a better hydrated state and keeps it looking smooth and glowing without being greasy. I’ve teamed up with Kopari to try and review some of their other body products.

Up first is the Coconut Melt which I’ve already been using and love. It’s not your standard grocery store grade coconut oil – yes, coconut oil is coconut oil, but according to Kopari there is a difference between oils depending on where they are sourced and how they are harvested. There’s also a difference in how the melt is made with the straining process. The Coconut Melt is free of silicones, sulfates, parabens and GMOs. It’s also cased in a sturdy glass jar. A little goes a long way and I usually need to give it around 5 to 10 minutes to let it soak in with the amount I use. For day I use a little less but I also like to use it at night before I go to sleep. It has worked wonders to restore moisture to my skin and keep it from drying out with the Florida heat.

Other recommended ways to use this coconut oil:

Hair Mask – recommended you leave it on for 40 minutes or sleep on it overnight, I’ve tried it as a mask and it does hydrate the hair
Body Moisturizer – they recommend you apply on damp skin to lock in moisture, I find it works on both damp and dry skin
Makeup remover – I did not know you could use this to remove eye makeup and it works! I apply a little on a q-tip and it helps remove stubborn waterproof eye makeup
Dry shave oil
Bath boost
Under eye moisturizer
Baby butter
Belly balm

The full size comes with a scooper. Consistency can change with temperature so if you’re in a hot humid area like me it can liquefy. It will go back to a harder state once it reaches room temperature.

It also comes in a mini with their cute Coconut Multitasking Kit. A quick look at the full size Coconut Melt compared to the Multitasking Kit minis which are super cute and a nice way to try multiple items.

The Coconut Crush Scrub is a super hydrating body scrub with brown sugar and Tahitian coconut shells to buff all the dead dry skin off. This is also silicone-free, sulfate-free, paraben-free and GMO free. It has a very sweet coconut vanilla milk kind of scent. It’s one of those oil-infused scrubs that leave the skin coated with a layer of moisture that you can feel in the shower. I love body scrubs and use this one about once a week – it’s definitely one of the most hydrating ones. They recommend you buff it onto dry skin and rinse but I’ve used it on both dry and wet skin and it works well either way.

The Coconut Body Milk and Coconut Body Oil both have a sweeter scent to them while the Coconut Melt has the most natural coconut scent. These are other ways to incorporate coconut oil into your body routine in case the melt isn’t quite your thing formula-wise. The Body Milk is a creamy lotion that in a milk-lotion format. It’s rich in hydration but not greasy. It smells like a sugar, coconut and vanilla blend. There is a nice velvety dry down to it.

The Body Oil is a spray and it’s a dry oil that is a more lightweight option for those who just want a little bit of hydration. It has a sweet gardenia scent to it that transports me to a vacation state of mind. This leaves the skin smooth and naturally glowy.

A look at the body milk texture straight out of the bottle. Oil not shown because it’s clear.

Bottom line wonderful. I’m a huge fan of the Coconut Melt and it continues to be my personal favorite from the Kopari items I’ve tried. The scrub is a wonderful discovery with the hydrating element. The oil is a nice lightweight and less messy alternative as it comes with a spray. The milk is the more traditional moisturizer formula which is best if you want a nice velvety dry down.

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