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Beauty Organizers To Put On Your Radar

January 17, 2023

Best Beauty Organizers Umbra Bellwood Organizer Tower

I’m back with a beauty organization roundup! Keeping all my beauty products organized has definitely been an ongoing challenge over the years. So many of you have asked for a beauty organization post wondering how I store all my beauty products and the short answer is I’m still figuring it all out.

Beauty Organization How to Clean Diptyque Jars

I’ve loved and used the Ikea Alex Drawers, Billy Bookcases, a number of larger acrylic beauty boxes, Muji acrylic organizers, things from The Container Store and Amazon – you name it! I still store things in the Ikea Alex Drawers (tall and wide ones). The best large acrylic beauty containers I’ve found unfortunately are from brands that are no longer around (like the Original Beauty Box and Glamboxes). I also love repurposing the Diptyque candle jars to hold pencils, mascaras, brushes, pens etc.

The main problem I’ve found with the large storage units whether it’s an acrylic box or large drawer unit is that if anything is stacked or put in a drawer out of sight it gets neglected. While I couldn’t possibly use up everything in my stash I still like to rotate things. Having a nice display or smaller organizers helps me edit my current rotation to keep certain things top of mind.

Omorovicza Peachy Micellar Cleansers

A lot of these are organizers are great to store my daily must-haves or go-to’s like foundations, concealers etc. and keeps them within easy reach too! If you’re looking for organizers that won’t break the bank and that will keep things somewhat edited this post is for you!

Umbra Organizers

Umbra Glam Cosmetic Organizer ($25) is a really nice affordable option. By this time I’ve tried a few of the Umbra organizers and think they’re well made. This Glam organizer comes in a white option and they also have it in a different configuration for Hair Tools. You can find it at a number of places like Umbra, Nordstrom, West Elm, Amazon.

See the Umbra Glam organizer in action here.

Umbra Glam Organizer via The Beauty Lookbook

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Umbra Cascada Cosmetic Organizer ($25, available at Umbra, Amazon, West Elm)* is another style with a spinning base. It can also double as an organizer for office supplies on your desk. The compartments are on the narrower side so it won’t fit larger bottles of perfume or skin care, but it’s great to store and display other beauty items.

See the Cascada Organizer in action here.

Umbra Cascada Organizer via The Beauty Lookbook

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Bellwood Organizer ($45)* is another one from Umbra. This is super easy to assemble and is great for small spaces. Looks clean and streamlined. They also make a matching Caddy ($25).

Best Beauty Organizers Umbra Bellwood Organizer Tower

Shop Umbra Storage Solutions

 

 

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Target

Target Acrylic Round Desktop Organizer - Project 62

I recently made a Target run and found quite a few organizing options. They have a great storage system with different size bins in their Brightroom Collection. I bought quite a few to organize products. The only downside is that it can get a bit expensive to design the exact configuration you want.

Target Project 62 Acrylic Round Desktop Organizer ($15 each) is a spinning organizer designed for the office but also works for beauty products! It’s a small-medium size which means it won’t take up a huge amount of space on your vanity, counter or desk. Measures about 7.98 inches wide and 7.26 inches tall.

See it in action here.

Target Brightroom Bathroom Spinning Turntable ($25) is another one I picked up. I haven’t used this one yet as it’s on the larger side and takes up quite a bit of room. It measures 10.9 inches wide 5 inches deep and it’s pretty good quality. You can probably find similar options on Amazon for less. They also carry a 2-tier spinner with dividers.

Shop Target Storage Solutions

 

Pottery Barn

Pottery Barn Acrylic Spinning Desktop Organizer

Pottery Barn and Pottery Barn Teen both have a great selection of organizers for the desk and bathroom. They have a lot of gorgeous solid lacquered wood organizers and towers. They are on the expensive side but one that caught my eye is the Pottery Barn Acrylic Home Office Lazy Susan (on sale for $47.99 and with code EXTRA for 20% off clearance). This is an even smaller organizer measuring 7 inches in diameter and 7.5 inches tall. It’s pricey for what it is but well-constructed and good quality.

Pottery Barn, West Elm and PB Teen Solutions

 

Amazon Finds

Amazon Beauty Organizer Review Beauty Lookbook

There are so many options Amazon! I ordered a Rotating Makeup Organizer ($28.98) a while ago and really like it. The quality could be better as it’s a really lightweight plastic but I like the size and it works. There are moveable shelves that are easy to adjust. Makes it convenient to customize! The downside with having that much surface area is that it does tend to collect dust and debris, but that is the case with pretty much everything.

See it in action here.

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I really like the mDesign boxes with a hinged lid. They come in a clear and cream version. Love that they’re stackable but since I want to be able to see things I try not to go crazy with the stacking. I keep my lash curlers, cotton and mini perfumes in these but the options are endless! They also have these in wider or taller configurations.

mDesign Plastic Storage Boxes

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I also picked up a couple of the Spice Racks which make for a nice display. They are very lightweight but it’s functional and I like they way they look. There are a few configurations including a Corner Rack you can put together side by side if you want a wider display.

See the display in action here.

Amazon Spice Racks Beauty Display

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Also really like these Tiered Riser Shelves to display and store perfumes.

Tiered Acrylic Stand Amazon

Shop my Amazon Finds

 

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Ikea Finds

Best Makeup to Shop During the Sephora Sale

Ikea Godmorgon Storage Box

I’ve featured the Ikea Godmorgan Box ($22.99) a few times in the past and mine has still held up after 5+ years. Mine is a clear version which they don’t make anymore. The current one has a slightly smoky tint but the design is still the same. This is a nice larger style box and is compatible with a lot of their bathroom drawers. Some of the inserts are removable too.

The same Godmorgan Line also has a Mini 2-Drawer Chest ($14.99) and Box Set with Lids ($17.99).

See it in action here.

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Muji Acrylic Pieces

Modern California Loft | The Beauty Look Book

Last but not least a quick shout out for Muji. They make some of the best acrylic storage. I own lots from them and the acrylic is very well made. I’ve owned some for 10+ years and they still look as good as the day I got them. There are some light scratches but considering the amount of use they’ve gone through it’s very durable.

The above photo is from my older home office when we lived in San Diego. I still have 5 Drawer Units (I stacked them 2 high) these but they’re in a beauty closet. Also available in other configurations and depths like the 3 Drawer Unit.

This mini 3 Tiered Stand is also from Muji. It holds a small amount of things but makes for a cute mini display!

Muji Acrylic 3 Tier Stand

Yamakazi Home

Diptyque Candle Repurpose and Yamakazi Home Caddy Storage

Also thanks to one of my readers who commented below Yamakazi Home makes great storage solutions. Especially for small spaces. Andrew has a few of their stands (one in his bathroom). I also love their Bath Caddy (small and large) and just ordered a Rolling Bathroom Cart.

A few more options rounded up below!

Beauty Organizers

1 tower / 2 caddy / 3 boxes with lid / 4 small caddy / 5 half moon box / 6 spinning tower / 7 acrylic spinner / 8 rack / 9 Five-drawer / 10 gold & marble spinner / 11 three tier stand / 12 clear box / 13 smoked box / 14 small desktop spinner / 15 larger spinner

 

What are your favorite beauty organizers? Do you have smaller organizers? A large one? Several large ones? Would love to hear about your favorite finds!

 

Charlotte Tilbury Highlighters

Charlotte Tilbury Hollywood Glow Glide Highlighters

January 11, 2023

Charlotte Tilbury Hollywood Glow Glide Highlighters

Charlotte Tilbury launched new powder highlighters called the Hollywood Glow Glide Face Architect Highlighters ($48 each). There are seven shades total – six shades are available at most retailers like Nordstrom, Sephora, Bloomingdale’s, Revolve etc. and one of them looks like it is exclusive to Charlotte Tilbury (Sunset Glow).

I picked up six of the Glow Glide Highlighters to swatch and test. These are powder highlighters that have a very smooth application. Shimmer is finely milled and glowy with medium to rich pigment. I’d say finish is on the more glowy side but it’s easy to blend/sheer out for a more subtle highlight.

At this point I think I have enough highlighters to last several lifetimes, but I think these are really beautiful. I like that there are tones to suit fair, medium, medium tan and deeper skin tones. I don’t know that I’d call any of these must-haves, to me these have a very similar vibe to the current Dior Forever Couture Luminizer Powders but with slight differences in color and undertone.

Charlotte Tilbury Hollywood Glow Glide Highlighters

Colors include:

  • Moonlit Glow is a pale ivory highlighter on my skin, it has the sharpest contrast on my skin
  • Champagne Glow is a champagne highlighter, also very pale but a bit deeper
  • Pillow Talk Glow is a light pearly pink glow
  • Gilded Glow is a pretty gold shimmer
  • Bronze Glow is a neutral golden bronze, definitely looks bronzey on my skin, I think it makes a great eyeshadow color
  • Rose Gold Glow is the closest highlighter I’ve seen to match rose gold, pulls warm on my skin, almost orangey but I think this would look beautiful on deeper skin tones

Charlotte Tilbury Hollywood Glow Glide Highlighters swatches

Check them out in action on my latest Reel:

 

For my skin twins quick note that I’m a shade to a shade and a half lighter than I normally am. I had to buy a shade lighter in a few foundations because most of them are too dark for me. I do tan easily so I suspect I will get more color soon. For the Charlotte Tilbury foundation I’m Shade 6 now.

Looks below wearing:

Moonlit Glow

Charlotte Tilbury Hollywood Glow Glide Highlighter Moonlit Glow

Charlotte Tilbury Hollywood Glow Glide Highlighter Moonlit Glow

Lips are Charlotte Tilbury Lip Cheat + Matte Revolution Lipstick in Pillow Talk and Jewel Lips in Opal Magic

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Champagne Glow

Charlotte Tilbury Hollywood Glow Glide Highlighter Champagne Glow

Charlotte Tilbury Hollywood Glow Glide Highlighter Champagne Glow

Lips are Charlotte Tilbury Lip Cheat + Matte Revolution Lipstick in Pillow Talk and Jewel Lips in Opal Magic

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Pillow Talk Glow

Charlotte Tilbury Hollywood Glow Glide Highlighter Pillow Talk Glow

Charlotte Tilbury Hollywood Glow Glide Highlighter Pillow Talk Glow

Lips are Charlotte Tilbury Lip Cheat + Matte Revolution Lipstick in Pillow Talk and Jewel Lips in Opal Magic

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Gilded Glow

Charlotte Tilbury Hollywood Glow Glide Highlighter Gilded Glow

Charlotte Tilbury Hollywood Glow Glide Highlighter Gilded Glow

Lips are Cle de Peau Lipstick in Tantalizing Tan + Charlotte Tilbury Lip Lustre in Ibiza Nights

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Bronze Glow

Charlotte Tilbury Hollywood Glow Glide Highlighter Bronze Glow

Charlotte Tilbury Hollywood Glow Glide Highlighter Bronze Glow

Lips are the NARS Afterglow Lip Shine in Orgasm

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Rose Gold Glow

Charlotte Tilbury Hollywood Glow Glide Highlighter Rose Gold Glow

Charlotte Tilbury Hollywood Glow Glide Highlighter Rose Gold Glow

Lips are the NARS Afterglow Lip Shine in Orgasm

Overall I really like the quality and finish. My favorites are Pillow Talk Glow and Champagne Glow although I think I will definitely be wearing Bronze Glow more once I get some more color. I really love the color in Gilded Glow but it’s a bit warm/yellow on me right now. For a more neutral gold I think the Dior Forever Couture Highlighter in Golden Glow is more wearable since it’s more neutral and less yellow. For a less orangey/warm color than Charlotte Tilbury Rose Gold I think you can opt for the Chanel Oversize Highlighter in Or Rose.

Since I love her Glowgasm Beauty Light Wand in Peachgasm I kinda wish she had launched a peachy powder highlighter or a deeper pink to match her Pinkgasm shade. For now I will stick with the wands since I think those colors are perfect.

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Have you checked out the new Charlotte Tilbury Hollywood Glow Glide Highlighters? Are they on your beauty radar or are you passing this launch? Anything you are excited for this spring? I will have a review of the new Dior Addict Lip Maximizers and NARS Orgasm Collection out soon. Also some beauty organization inspo coming your way as well!

Beauty Favorites Nordstrom Skincare

New Year Skincare Refresh

January 9, 2023

New Year Skincare Refresh with Nordstrom Beauty

Happy New Year! Starting the year out with a skincare roundup. I’ve gone through a skincare refresh and reset the past few weeks and today I’m sharing what I’ve restocked and love from Nordstrom. They carry most of the brands I use on a regular basis and I’ve added a few new things to my routine this month.

New Year Skincare Refresh with Nordstrom Beauty

Cleanser

Best Cleansers Kate Somerville, La Mer, Dior and Sisley

I always love trying different cleansers and just finished using quite a few in the last few weeks. I restocked my three favorites. The Kate Somerville Gentle Daily Wash is one of best for sensitive skin but still very effective at cleaning the skin. If I had to use one brand of cleanser the rest of my life I think Kate Somerville would cover all my needs. The ExfoliKate Cleanser is a great one with a gentle clinical strength exfoliating ingredients. The Goat Milk Cleanser is great for dry skin and I love the EradiKate Daily Cleanser for acne prone skin.

La Mer’s Cleansing Foam is another favorite I love for a silky creamy foam. It has a gentle spa like scent but doesn’t irritate my skin. Leaves it squeaky clean and soft.

Dior’s La Mousse Off/On Foaming Face cleanser is another great one if you have normal/combination skin. A little goes a long way and skin feels fresh with this one. This is my third tube!

I love a good acid exfoliator to help resurface skin and get rid of dead skin cells but sometimes having a gentle exfoliant is nice to have on hand. I’ve had my eye on the Sisley Exfoliating Enzyme Mask for some time and decided to splurge. It’s a powder exfoliant that’s activated with water. It turns into a creamy mask you apply and massage to the skin. Leave it on for 1 minute then rinse. It far exceeded my expectations! Skin is left smooth and clean but not stripped. 100% love. It’s called a mask but to me it’s a cleanser + mask in one.

I also highly recommend trying the Eve Lom Muslin Cleansing Cloths. They’re designed for the Eve Lom Cleansing Balm, but I use the cloths for any cleanser. Helps to gently exfoliate the skin, ensure all your cleanser is removed and improve blood circulation. I notice my complexion is a lot clearer and smoother when I use cloths consistently.

Toner

La Mer Tonic Toner

For toners I restocked my tried and true La Mer The Tonic. This is one of the best ones I’ve tried for any time of year to rebalance, refresh and tone my skin. Doesn’t leave a film and one of the few that doesn’t irritate my skin. 100% worth the splurge!

Moisturizer

La Mer Moisturizing Soft Lotion

For moisturizers I’m rotating a few right now including the La Mer Moisturizing Soft Lotion and Chanel La Solution 10 de Chanel. Both are good for sensitive skin. La Mer has a wide range of moisturizers and creams for different skin types, my favorite has been the Moisturizing Soft Lotion because it’s light weight but still very hydrating.

The Chanel La Solution 10 de Chanel is one of my favorite sensitive skin creams. It has 10 ingredients selected for sensitive skin. I like that it’s unscented and has a cream formula but comes with a pump dispenser.

Two sunscreens I’ve been loving are the Charlotte Tilbury Invisible UV Flawless Primer with SPF 50 and the Kate Somerville Daily Deflector Mineral Sunscreen with SPF 40. Both apply nicely on the skin. I was really impressed with the Charlotte Tilbury one. I used it on my trip last month and it worked exceptionally well to protect my skin in Miami.

Moisturizer and SPF Kate Somerville, Chanel, La Mer, Charlotte Tilbury

Treatments and Masks

111Skin Y Theorem Bio Cellulose Face Mask

For sheet masks my two favorites are the 111Skin Y Theorem Bio Cellulose Face Mask and La Mer Treatment Lotion Hydrating Mask. I restocked the 111Skin this month. It’s a bio cellulose mask and helps hydrate and reduce fine lines. This has been one of my go-to’s for years (even loved the original formula) and one I keep splurging on.

NuFace revamped their Trinity+ and Mini+ devices. I received the Mini+ Starter Kit over the holiday and can’t wait to see the longer term results with it. I have several areas on my face that could benefit from the lifting effects of microcurrents. If you’ve tried any of the new devices let me know what you think!

NuFace Mini+ Starter Kit new version

Hand/Body

Jo Malone Vitamin E Nourishing Hand Treatment

I picked up Jo Malone Vitamin E Nourishing Hand Treatment which is an ultra rich creamy hand cream. I used it in the past and don’t remember why I never restocked. It’s super luxurious and I highly recommend checking it out. For body I really love the Necessaire Body Oil. It’s unscented, thick, absorbs nicely, hydrates – love that it doesn’t have any added fragrance so it won’t interfere with my perfume. I have a mini from a holiday bundle but just ordered the full size to keep on my nightstand.

New Year Skincare Refresh Haul

That wraps up my skincare refresh for the new year! What are you using right now? Any new skin care loves or rediscoveries?

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Many thanks to Nordstrom for partnering to sponsor this post. As always all opinions are my own.

Beauty Favorites

Best of 2022 Makeup, Skincare, Fragrance + More

January 2, 2023

Best Makeup Sephora Sale

Happy New Year! Rounding up the best of 2022 with my Top 5 picks in every beauty category! There are a couple of categories I went a bit over but here were my absolute favorites this year. Thank you for following along this year! Wishing you all an even better 2023!

Foundation/Concealer

Patrick Ta Major Skin Creme Foundation and Finishing Powder Duo Light Medium 2

I love a natural looking base that can hold up to the Florida heat and humidity. I had so many favorites I tried this year but here were my top five:

Blush

Gucci Beauty Luminous Matte Beauty Blush

Top blush products of the year:

Bronzer/Highlighters

Chanel Les Beiges Oversize Healthy Glow Sun-Kissed Powders

Favorite bronzers and highlighters of the year:

Eye Makeup

Tom Ford Beauty Soleil Neige 2022

I could probably have a list of at least 20 eye makeup favorites! Trying to keep my list super edited to the items I used the most this year:

Brow/Mascara

Lipstick

Sisley Phyto-Rouge Shine Refillable Lipstick Review

Best lipsticks this year:

Lip Gloss

Hermesistible Infused Lip Care Oil Review

Favorite lip glosses of the year:

Lip Liner

Makeup by Mario Ultra Suede Sculpting Pencils

Best formulas I wore the most this year:

Perfume

My favorites this year and one new discovery I hauled a week ago:

Hair Care

Oribe Home & Away Gold Lust Repair & Restore Shampoo & Conditioner Set

Skin Care: Cleansers

 

Clinique Take the Day Off Cleansing Balm with Charcoal

Best cleansers of the year:

Moisturizers

Augustinus Bader The Cream

Masks/Treatments

Sunday Riley Good Genes

Nails/Hand

Chanel La Base Camelia andL’Huile Camelia Hydrating and Fortifying Oil

Hand care essentials this year:

Cavapoo Puppy 12 Weeks Ollie

This year my #1 favorite though was Ollie. It’s been a full year now since we lost Lucy and my heart was so broken I thought it would never be whole again. The pain of losing a loved one was so intense I didn’t think I could ever get another dog but as soon as Andrew said, “I think we should get another one,” I instantly said yes. We found Ollie and picked him up in March. Our lives and hearts have been filled with joy. It makes me so happy that Kitty finally warmed up to the new pup in the house and even happier that they actually play together.

Thank you for following along on here and on social! Looking forward to a brand new year!

 

Florida Packing Travel

What I Packed for Miami

December 31, 2022

Miami Packing List

Sharing a look at what I packed for Miami! We had mild weather for South Florida – probably the nicest weather we’ve ever experienced in Florida! I packed a bunch of my favorite tank tops and shorts – many the same style just in multiple colors.

Outfits

 

I’ll link everything I wore that’s still available but here are a few style notes. I think the most flattering tanks are the Citizens of Humanity Isabel Tank (runs TTS) and the Reformation Julia Top (runs small, I’m usually an XS but sized up to a Medium). My loose gauzey button down from Rails remains a closet staple perfect for the beach.

The Betsy Hotel South Beach - Sabrina beautylookbook

For beach bags I really love the Naghedi St. Barths Totes (I have the medium size). Durable, sturdy, flexible and easy to clean. I also brought along my YSL Panier Basket (size is the small variation) for a beach bag and Prada Raffia Tote.

YSL Small Panier Basket Tote

For shoes I wore in my new Celine Low Top Sneakers (unboxing here) and absolutely love them. I sized down as they recommended (I’m usually a size 6.5 and bought the Celine in a size 6) and they’re a great fit, super comfortable, no break in required. I also brought along my Veja Venturi Sneakers which I still really love too.

I’ve really grown to love the HunzaG swimsuits. The Domino One-Piece is a great one I find myself wearing the most. It doubles as a top too when you add shorts or a skirt.

Hunza G Domino Swimsuit

Ollie and Sabrina

Ollie Sabrina

Tops & Swim

 

Shorts, Shoes & Jeans

 

Accessories

Skincare and Hair Care

Travel Skincare Packing

I was very impressed with myself that I kept my skincare and hair care packing to a minimum this trip! I stuck with the basics with one in each category. This trip I used everything I packed. The R+Co Dart Pomade Stick is an essential for flyaways and I wish it would stay in stock. I keep checking for it multiple places like Amazon, Neimans, Saks etc. If you can’t find it the Ouai Matte Pomade is also very good.

I almost always pack my Chanel CC Cream with me (it’s my favorite) but this time I decided to try a few different things. I really like the Charlotte Tilbury Invisible UV Flawless Primer for a sunscreen.

For perfume I didn’t pack anything with me but purchased a few on my trip including Celine Parade and Loewe Eclectic which I think are going to be new favorites for the upcoming year.

Of course I had to pack my ghd Platinum Plus Styler which is a hair care essential for smooth hair. Helps me get ready in under 15 minutes for hair styling!

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Travel Makeup Picks

Travel Makeup Packing Miami

I did a makeup packing reel on Instagram if you want to see if all in action. I am an over packer when it comes to makeup but tried to limit myself to 1-2 things in each category. I used everything I packed on this trip so I think I packed just the right amount! The only thing I forgot was a beautyblender sponge and foundation brush. I stopped by Sephora to pick up a beautyblender because I discovered I can’t live without one, lol.

I’ve linked everything below but will list the colors too:

Base:

Charlotte Tilbury Invisible UV Flawless Primer
Chanel Glowing Makeup Primer
Chanel Les Beiges Water-Fresh Complexion Touch in B30 + B40
YSL Touche Eclat in Shade 3
Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Flawless Powder in Medium

Blush/Bronzer:

Drunk Elephant D-Bronzi Drops
Chanel Les Beiges Healthy Glow Powder in Deep (not shown)
Westman Atelier Baby Cheeks in Chouchette
Hourglass Ambient Lighting Palette in Elephant
Charlotte Tilbury Air Brush
Charlotte Tilbury Pillow Talk Beauty Wand
Tarte Maneater Blush in Coral (new shade)

Eyes:

Charlotte Tilbury Eyes to Mesmerize in Rosegold
Bobbi Brown Long-Wear Cream Shadow in Golden Amber
Sisley Phyto Matte Eyeliner in 2 Tonka
Hourglass Scattered Light Eyeshadow in Ray
Charlotte Tilbury Eyeshadow Palette in Bella Sofia
Tarte Tartelette Tubing Mascara
Too Faced Superfine Brow Detailer and Brow Wig in Medium Brown

Lips:

Hermes Lip Oils
Tarte Maracuja Juicy Lips in Grapefruit + Juicy Lip Plump in White Peach
Tarte Maracuja Lip Liner in Rosy Brown
Hourglass Phantom Volumizing Glossy Lip in Slip
Dior Rouge Dior Lipstick in 100 Nude Look Velvet (also in action here)
Dior Addict Lip Maximizer in Pink (older version, review of new formula soon)

 

South Beach Miami

South Beach Miami

South Beach Miami

South Beach Miami

If you’re looking for packing ideas I hope you found this helpful!

Florida Travel

Christmas in Miami Travel Diary

December 29, 2022

Miami South Beach Christmas 2022

I’m back from a mini vacation with a new Miami travel diary! We booked a Christmas in Miami trip and brought Ollie with us. He’s 11 months old now and was such a good boy the entire time. We were pleasantly surprised to find how dog friendly Miami is. He was even welcomed into the Loewe store at the Miami Design District and was lucky enough to sniff some pretty sporty sneakers! We had a great trip!

Miami Christmas with Ollie

Where We Stayed

This trip we split our stay at two places: at an Airbnb in South Beach and also at The Betsy Hotel. This was our first trip with Ollie and since it was an extended trip we weren’t quite sure if he would be ok in a hotel room but he was a very good boy, even with all the new city noises! We could have stayed at a hotel with him the entire trip.

The Betsy Hotel has been on my list for a while and we booked a King Suite which was pretty spacious for South Beach. We had a really pleasant stay! Out of all the hotels we’ve stayed at this was one of the best boutique hotels we’ve tried. Super cute, very clean, good food, friendly staff – it almost felt like a home away from home. They’re dog friendly and gave Ollie treats in the lobby.

The Betsy Hotel South Beach

The Betsy Hotel South Beach Ollie Cavapoo

The Betsy Hotel South Beach - Sabrina beautylookbook

Miami Eats

Rosetta Bakery South Beach on Collins

Both Andrew and I love good food and Miami has no shortage of amazing places to try. South Beach is our favorite place to stay because there is so much within walking distance.

Breakfast Places

Rosetta Bakery South Beach

We love Rosetta Bakery and Shepherd Artisan Coffee – they’re right next to each other! They both have a few locations throughout Miami, we love the one right in the heart of South Beach in between 9th and 10th.

Strawberry Moon at The Goodtime Hotel was a disappointment this time. I’m not sure if it was just an off day when we visited. It was much better the first time we visited over a year ago. This time the food wasn’t as good and service was pretty disappointing.

Green Street Café in Coconut Grove is a fun for a casual breakfast almost diner-style cafe. Pleasantly surprised by the food! We were seated right away even though it was packed. Quick service and fun people watching.

The Salty Donut is one of our favorite donut shops. It’s not really a breakfast spot but we like to pick up coffee and donuts here. They’re opening more shops all the time in different cities. A few in Tampa are opening up in the new year and we are excited!

The Betsy Hotel has a nice breakfast and lunch spot in the lobby area. Hotel food can be hit or miss in South Beach, but we had a few really nice relaxing meals here! Ollie had some scrambled eggs which he really loved.

Miami Eats Mandolin, Doya

Lunch

This trip I managed to book a table at Mandolin Aegean Bistro in the Design District and it was exceptionally good. Will 100% be back again.

Taquiza Tacos is one of Andrew’s favorite taco spots. I prefer Bodega Tacos, but both are good and definitely worth checking out.

La Sandwicherie South Beach and Wynwood is one of our favorite sandwich spots. We always buy their signature vinaigrette sauce and pickles to take home with us.

Mr. Baguette in Wynwood is a newer spot we tried and loved! They have fresh sandwiches and delicious pastries and a super cute interior.

Miami Eats - Mr. Baguette Wynwood

Dinner

Joe’s Stone Crab Takeaway is always fun. They don’t have the full menu like the restaurant but the selection is still very good and I always get their Angel Food Chocolate Chip Cake to go with the chocolate mousse.

Makoto Bal Harbour is one of our favorite dinner spots. It was on my must-visit list again since we had such a great experience here. We went again and everything here is amazing. Lots of fun people watching here too!

Doya Wynwood is new to us and we 10/10 loved it. We went very early so we did not need reservations but I highly recommend booking them just in case. This was one of Andrew’s favorites and it’s in my Top 5. Great ambiance, friendly service, amazing food. It’s been a while since we had Turkish Coffee and this place has it, it’s just like the real deal.

1-800-Lucky Wynwood is a fun food court with seven Asian restaurants in one area. We love this place for good food, fun atmosphere and quick service. They have the Taiyaki NYC Japanese Ice Cream here too.

Stubborn Seed is one of the best restaurants we’ve ever tried. Reservations are a must and this time we booked the Chef’s Tasting Menu which is a prefix meal. Expensive but it’s a very special experience you won’t forget. This was our second time here and it’s incredible.

Miami Eats Makoto and 1-800-Lucky

Beach, Shopping and Sights

South Beach Boardwalk

Miami Ollie and Sabrina

We spent a lot of time walking or biking on the boardwalk with Ollie for a relaxing time. We also spent some time at the beach on our own as dogs are not allowed on beaches in South Beach. For fun stuff and sight-seeing we drove to Key Biscayne but it ended up being rainy and windy so we mainly stayed in the car. We will definitely go back when it’s warmer and sunny!

Bal Harbour Shops Christmas

Shopping is so much fun in Miami. We stopped at Bal Harbour Shops which beautiful. I picked up something special from Goyard and a few things at Saks and Neimans including the Maison Francis Kurkdjian Baccarat Rouge 540 Shimmering Body Oil (still available at Franciskurkdjian.com).

Bal Harbour Miami

Dior Beauty Saks Bal Harbour

We also stopped by the Design District for more shopping and I splurged on a few things from Celine and Loewe. There’s so much to explore here like the Creed Boutique, Celine, Loewe, Bottega and more!

Design District Miami

Design District Miami

Celine Store Miami

Miami Design District

Ollie Cavapoo

We also visited Superblue Miami which is an immersive light experience. It was just ok for me and I don’t know that I would recommend it as a must-visit experience. The Van Gogh Immersive Experience (similar style of an immersive experience) we visited on a previous trip was much more interesting for us. If your time is limited in Miami I think there are better more interesting places to visit like the Frost Science Museum or Vizcaya Gardens.

Superblue Art Miami

Superblue Miami

South Beach Miami
Miami Coconut Grove

Ollie and Sabrina

That wraps up my Miami travel diary! There’s so much to explore and we can’t wait to go back. This upcoming year we hope to travel more now that we’re more confident Ollie will be able to travel with us pretty much anywhere.

Did you travel anywhere this past year or during the holidays? Where did you travel to or visit? Would love to hear about your adventures if you were able to travel!

Loving Right Now

Merry Christmas!

December 25, 2022

Merry Christmas 2022

Merry Christmas! We are celebrating Christmas at home today after spending a week in Miami. Wishing you a holiday season filled with peace and joy. Ollie and Kitty send you all lots of hugs and kisses. Kitty turned 10 years old this year and Ollie is now 11 months old!

Thankful for all of you and wishing you all the best! Travel guide coming soon!

xoxo

Sabrina, Andrew, Ollie and Kitty