Travel Archives - The Beauty Look Book

Christmas in Miami Travel Diary

December 29, 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!

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.

Miami Eats

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

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.

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.

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.

Beach, Shopping and Sights

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!

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).

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!

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.

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!

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Florida Packing Travel

What I Packed for Key West

July 31, 2022

I’m back with a packing roundup! We took a week off for a mini getaway to Key West. It’s been five years since we’ve visited and this trip we took my in-laws with us. We took the Key West Express from Fort Meyers this time. Overall it was crazy hot and humid during our time but we still had a lot of fun! It was a relaxing trip, we did a lot of walking.

A quick look at the hotel we stayed at. Andrew and I booked a 2 bedroom cottage at The Capitana Key West. It’s one of the newer hotels and we really liked it! Super clean, nice modern design, daily housekeeping, cute pool and lounge area. It is 2 miles outside of downtown so you will definitely need a car or golf cart of some sort as it’s too hot to walk that far. Here’s a quick look. If you want to see the inside, I did a mini room tour on Instagram I’ll post below.

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For packing Andrew and I packed up 3 Away Bigger Carry-Ons (there was a size limit for luggage on the ferry). I still really love these suitcases and highly recommend them. The Bigger Carry-On is the perfect size to pack essentials for an extended weekend getaway. I also really love their Packing Cubes – both Andrew and I use these. For longer trips we have and like the Medium Suitcase. Their Accessories selection is pretty good these days too! I bought Andrew the Large Toiletry Case and he approves of the design, material and quality!

What I packed below (each item is clickable to take you directly to shop the item):

I didn’t manage to get photos of every outfit I wore but here are a few snapshots.

Outfit 1: Top Bella Dahl // Shorts Agolde Parker // Bag Loewe Pochette // Sandals Fendi // Sunglasses Celine Triomphe Oval

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Outfit 2 Poolside: Swimsuit HunzaG Domino // Sunglasses Celine // Lip Balm Makeup by Mario // Tote Loewe Small Basket // Hat Jacquemus

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Outfit 3: Dress Reformation (older style, similar here) // Sunglasses Celine // Shoes Tory Burch

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Outfit 4: Top Free People // Shorts Agolde // Sandals Chloe // Bag Bottega

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Outfit 5: Top Rails Ellis Button Down // Shorts Agolde // Bag Loewe // Sandals Fendi

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Outfit 6: Dress Abercrombie // Sandals Tory Burch // Bag Loewe Small Basket

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I’ve never received so many questions as I have about shoes! Here are the highlights on sizing and comfort:

Tory Burch Double T Sport Slide is one of most comfortable sandals I’ve tried. I’ve owned this pair for a couple years now (also seen here and here). They’ve held up really well even though I’m not the most careful with my feet. While it doesn’t have arch support there’s a cushion in the sole which makes them really comfortable on the feet. They run true to size (I’m a 6.5 in most sandals). Comfort is 10 out of 10.

Ancient Greek Sandals Eleftheria Sandal are a recent splurge and I love the minimalist look. They’re very sturdy and I like that they stay on the feet. The straps are not adjustable so it was pure luck that they fit me perfectly. I wish the straps were adjustable though – it seems like having a perfect fit isn’t always going to happen since everyone has different widths for feet, ankles, toes etc. Comfort is 8.5 out of 10 for me. These come in whole sizes and the Size 7 works perfectly for me.

Chloe Woody Slide Sandals are ones I think are super cute, but comfort is a level 7 out of 10 for me. They’re not painful but they’re also not ones I want to walk around all day in. These come in whole sizes only and I wear these in a 37.

Veja Venturi Sneakers are cute for that chunky sneaker trend and I find them very comfortable. They’re very comfortable to walk in around all day. Sizing reviews seem to be mixed (it may depend on color). For these I wear them in a US 6/ EUR37.fendi

Fendi Feel Slides were a splurge and I love them. They’re very comfortable and I had no issues (no break in period). There is a slight arch support inside and the sole has some beveled edges to hug the feet (so there’s no sliding around inside). Even with sweaty feet they stayed on. Sizing is big and wide. I have narrowish feet so I took these in a Size 36. I could have probably gone down to a 35.5 but the 36 is very comfortable. I would recommend going a 1/2 down from your regular size or buy from a retailer that has a good return policy.

For beauty packing I packed up products in 2 different cases this time. For skincare and haircare I splurged on the Louis Vuitton Nice BB Case and love it. I just bought it so I’ve only been able to use it once on this trip. I’ll be able to share more thoughts as we travel more! Packing Reel sharing what fits inside below.

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Skincare + Hair Care:

For makeup I packed everything in the Calpak Mini Cosmetic Case. This had been sitting in my online shopping cart for many months. I finally decided to order it in Caramel and love it. Super roomy even though it’s the “mini” version. There’s a bigger option available too!

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I don’t always pack hair tools but with the humidity in the Keys I wasn’t going to take any chances on the hotel dryer. I packed up the T3 Micro Aireluxe and the ghd Platinum+ Styler. Both were great! I will probably switch up the dryer for a different one next time (this one took up a lot of room) but will 100% travel with the hair straightener. It’s perfect to smooth out the hair in the morning.

Last thing I wanted to highlight is how I pack my jewelry. I usually wear my necklaces while traveling since I haven’t found a travel case that works for chains (they always end up getting tangled). But for everything else the Mejuri Travel Case is perfect to store rings, three pairs or earrings and thicker chains. It’s also available in black.

Have you been traveling this summer? We have been itching to travel more but Ollie is not yet ready to go with us (hopefully soon). He’s been in puppy training the past 2 weeks so the timing worked out for us to have someone watch/train him this time. We really wanted to bring him but we’re glad we did not (it was too hot and the ferry ride was too long for him!). He’s learning so much! If you’ve traveled this summer let me know where!

If you want to see the places we visited you can check out my Key West highlights on Instagram @beautylookbook.

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Florida Travel

Miami Getaway

February 23, 2022

We took a few days off for a much-needed getaway in Miami! We always have fun in South Beach and love the beaches, great shopping and food. I’m already planning our next trip and hopefully we will be able to stay longer next time! Here were the highlights!

Where We Stayed

Andrew picked out our hotel this trip and he booked us a room at The Goodtime Hotel. We absolutely loved it! We stayed in one of the Queen Ocean View rooms and it was so cute. On the small side, but rooms have a well thought out floor plan and we loved the location. It was further south from the hotels we’ve usually stayed in and it was perfect. Less traffic, not as busy and perfect walking distance to the beach and restaurants we love. Parking is expensive but we luckily found a garage right next to the hotel for a lower rate.

This was probably one of my favorite hotels in Miami! They do have a cute common area they call the “Library” for guest to relax or work. Their restaurant is by the pool called Strawberry Moon and it was delicious.

TOP Reformation / SHORTS L’Agence (also packed similar ones from Agolde) / TOTE Loewe / HAT Rag and Bone / SANDALS Tory Burch

Other hotels we’ve stayed include Royal Palm, Loews Miami, The Edition South Beach, East Miami and a few other smaller boutique hotels. I really loved the Edition Hotel and would love to go back (but it’s on the pricey side). East Miami is gorgeous but located in Brickell (downtown) so it’s farther from the beach. Both Andrew and I have had a great experience at each one. We try to pick a different one each time, but we both agreed hands down we’d go back to The Goodtime Hotel again.

What I Packed

We both packed our Away Carry-On suitcases (I packed the Original Carry-On in Blush, Andrew packed the Bigger Carry-On in White) plus a travel bag for each of us. Andrew still uses his Everywhere Bag and it’s held up so well over the years. I used the Weekender (larger, discontinued). If you’re looking for luggage I still highly recommend Away. If you click on my PACKING tag you’ll see reviews of multiple sizes, what I packed on past trips and what I recommend for travel.

You can tap each icon to shop what I packed

Beauty Packing

For beauty I brought 4 pouches/bags. I like to have multiple cases to keep things separated and organized for easy access. I packed the Daily Edited Clear Travel Case (pale pink) to carry makeup (mine is the older design, review here). I also usually bring an empty cosmetic pouch or case with me so I can use it during the trip on-the-go and packed one of The Daily Edited Small Cosmetic Cases.

I’m still a lover of Truffle bags as well. I was finally able to use the Clarity Jumbo Train Case* they gifted me last year and it was perfect for my skincare and hair care. I packed a lot of skincare, sunscreen, cleansers and my own Oribe Shampoo and Conditioner*. Everytime I skip bringing my own hair care I always regret it. This trip I didn’t bring my own hair dryer and it’s something I’ll never do again. I’ve been spoiled with my Dyson and sometimes I don’t fully appreciate it until I have to use something else. I never want to be without it.

For makeup brushes I usually grab my favorites and throw them into one of the Truffle Clarity Jetsets. I bought this one myself the first year we moved to Florida back in 2017 and it’s held up so well.

Makeup-wise I pretty much put the same products on my face everyday. You can see my vacation makeup in this Reel linked below. I wore the Patrick Ta Major Dimension Palette everyday (swatches here, it’s still in my top 5), love the Sisley Bronzer and Chanel Les Beiges Healthy Glow Powders and also the Les Eaux de Chanel Riviera perfume. For lips I really loved the Chanel Rouge Coco Baumes for spring-summer (my fav is Flirty Coral) and the Blush Lumiere in Peche Rosee (all swatched here). I also am still obsessed with the Tarte Maracuja Juicy Lip Balms!

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Where We Ate

There is so much to explore food-wise in Miami and I have a long list of places to try. With so many people visiting Florida, Miami has become busier compared to our last two visits. I did not make reservations because last year we didn’t need any. This trip all of the places on my list were fully booked. We still had a lot of fun and tried some new eats!

Our must-visits are always Joe’s Stone Crab (I love the crab cakes and chocolate chip angel food cake, it comes with a side of the most amazing chocolate mousse), the Salty Donut and Zak the Baker.

We also tried Strawberry Moon for breakfast (loved), Sorbillo for pizza (was pretty good, but will try a different pizza place next time), Joey’s in Wynwood (love) and Big Pink (super fun diner place).

Fun Stuff

We try to go to at least one museum or exhibit each time we’re in town. The Van Gogh Immersive Exhibit is still in Miami and if they have an exhibit in your city I highly recommend checking it out! It takes about an hour depending and I loved how they brought a lot of his paintings to life in an immersive experience.

We also love relaxing at the beach or pool. It doesn’t feel like a vacation without beach time! There’s so much fun people watching! While our hotel wasn’t on the beach, they did have a designated beach area with umbrellas and lounge chairs. Depending on how busy it is you can sometimes rent umbrellas and chairs even if you’re not staying at the hotel.

I could spend days shopping and window shopping but a lot of the malls are spread out, so I try to pick just 1 or 2 areas to explore. We went to the Miami Design District and I splurged on some wishlist items I had from Loewe including the Mini Puzzle Bag (also available at places like Neimans, Net-a-Porter and Nordstrom), the new shine lipsticks from Hermes and a new pair of sandals.

Do you have any Miami favorites? Would love to hear recommendations on hotels or places to eat if you have any!

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Beauty Favorites Packing What's In My Bag

Travel Makeup Pouches I Never Leave Home Without

April 8, 2019

If you’re in search of a good travel makeup bag I have a few favorites I’m sharing today! I’ve put quite a few to the test over the years and I’m rounding up the ones I swear by to haul around my makeup for travel. I’ve tried so many different brands, sizes and styles over many trips. I’m constantly testing different shapes in search of the best ones to pack my makeup. Finding the best makeup bag for me depends on trip length and destination. I like to have different options for makeup vs. skin and hair as I keep things separated by product type so it’s easier for me to find things. I also like flat zip or snap closure pouches to carry around with me as well. Today I’m sharing the three travel pouches I brought with me on my most recent trip along with more thoughts and comparisons on a few different styles/shapes.

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The Daily Edited

The Daily Edited makes some of my favorite travel makeup cases. They functional, chic, well made and I love the personalization options! I really love their Large Cosmetic Case. It’s roomy with a wide base so I can fit quite a bit inside. I own this in a couple colors and I’ve brought this one on every single trip since I purchased it in fall 2017. It has a saffiano textured finish and both have held up really well. Another one of my favorites is their Transparent Cosmetic Case for an affordable option to the Anya Hindmarch Inflight Bags. You can read the review plus comparison in this post here. Quick note that since I bought mine The Daily Edited has changed the design slightly of the trim which you can see on their website. I usually bring the transparent one with me as well but there was a new bag from Truffle that I wanted to try this trip.

Closer look at The Daily Edited Large Cosmetic Case in Black ($100). I picked the smaller font option with blind embossing. It measures 5.3″ high x 8.9″ wide x 4.3″ deep.

Skincare and haircare I packed inside the bag this trip:

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Truffle

Top: Clarity Jumbo Jetset 9″ W X 3″ H X 6″ D
Bottom: Clarity Jetset 7 1/2” W X 2″ H X 5 1/4” D

Truffle has been a long time favorite as well – I carry their flat pouches with me pretty much everywhere I go. I have them in my purse, in my gym bag and they are always part of my travel uniform. I’ve used these for years and found that their plastic material and leather has held up really nicely even with regular use. Similar to any clear material the plastic will get get dirty with smudges but it’s easy to clean. I clean mine with Novus Plastic Clean and Shine every once in a while and it removes all the sand, debris and smudges. For travel I always pack their Clarity Jetset Case with me. They’re small enough to throw in my tote for day-to-day. They’re also good for bringing some inflight essentials with you. For ideas on how to use it, you can see what I packed inside for our California trip last year in this post here. I also pack my on-the-go fitness beauty essentials inside it for when we go out and run. Truffle just launched a Clarity Jumbo Jetset Case which is a larger version and has two zip around compartments. It’s longer and deeper so can fit more things like longer makeup compacts (I put my Naked Reloaded inside and it fit perfectly!). One half has an elastic band to help hold things in place.

A closer look at the Clarity Jumbo Jetset Case ($125). Measures 9″ W X 3″ H X 6″ D

What I fit inside the Jumbo Jetset:

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Clear Envelope /Flat Pouches

The third thing I never leave home without is a flat clear pouch. Ouai also makes some of my favorite clear envelope pouches. Every time I feature one I’m asked by everyone where it’s from! There are two sizes, a Mini Envelope Clutch ($15) and a Larger Envelope Clutch ($25). They are so convenient to travel with because you can see everything inside it! I’ve found them on their website, unfortunately they’re frequently sold out, the larger one is in stock right now on the US site, mini is available on their UK site. I’ve seen them restock a number of times in the past on the US website so I’d recommend keeping an eye if you have this on your wishlist. I also really love the Truffle Clarity Clutches in Small and Mini sizes to throw in my travel bag. Long time readers know these are always with me!

Inside the Ouai Mini Envelope that I brought to Miami with me (I also carry it with me to the beach at home as well):

Here’s a side by side of the Truffle Clarity Mini ($40), measures 8″ L x 5″ H
Ouai Large Envelope Clutch ($25), measures 11.5″ L x 8.25″ H
Ouai Mini Envelope Clutch ($15), measures approx. 6.5″ x 6.5″

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I really love having a clear makeup bag so I can see what is inside. Flat pouches are easier to pack into a tote because they’re slimmer and keep things compact, but if you have larger compacts or bottles they tend to stretch out the clear plastic options. Some additional thoughts:

The Daily Edited Large Cosmetic bag is my favorite makeup bag for traveling. It’s quite roomy and the shape works well for my travel style and needs. It can hold a lot of minis, compacts, lipsticks etc. The only downside is there isn’t really a separate compartment for things like brushes. If you like a large open compartment style bag this is the best one I’ve tried.
For the clear zip bag options:
- Truffle’s Clarity Jumbo Jetset Case is the largest option I own. It’s long enough to hold compacts like Urban Decay’s Naked Palette with extra room. The elastic strap in the bottom is handy but pretty stretchy. I like that it has a handle on one end but that still lies flat against the bag. Since it’s bigger it can hold more liquids and stack more products inside. The price is on the high side but it’s very well made.
- The Daily Edited Transparent Cosmetic Case is the middle of the road option for size. It’s been a great one for me on many trips and I still think it’s worth the splurge. This one is long enough to hold the Urban Decay Naked Palette as well, but the Truffle Jumbo option is larger. If you travel with carry-on suitcases or smaller soft bags this is going to be a better option as it’s more compact and won’t take up as much luggage space.
- The Truffle Clarity Jetset is the smallest single compartment option I have. The size is perfect to throw in your gym bag or put in a small tote/travel bag for under the seat. It can hold small chargers, cords, passport, notebooks, etc. for easy access. Since it’s smaller it’s easy to fit into a carry on bag or tote. I’ve found it very versatile!
Do you need more than one? I like to have different pouches to separate items by category when I travel so it’s easier to find things. I keep skin/hair care in one pouch, electronics/chargers in another, makeup in a different bag, etc.
Pricing is high for both The Daily Edited and Truffle, but I’ve found them 100% worth it. They occasionally do flash sales or holiday sales so I’d recommend signing up for their newsletter or follow on social for notifications on special offerings. I just ordered some more Daily Edited pieces because they had a site-wide sale for 2 days last week, can’t wait to show you what I bought!
I’ve linked a few other more affordable clear bag alternatives below. You can definitely find other clear bag alternatives at lower price points but I still think Truffle and The Daily Edited have exceptional quality for the price! MAC also carries some clear bag squares and pouches online that I’ve tried in the past and liked. They didn’t hold up quite as well and I had to throw a few away though.

Hope you enjoyed this post! Let me know if I can answer any other questions about these cases! What makeup cases do you like to travel with? Do you usually go on shorter trips or longer ones?

Truffle Jumbo Jetset gifted. All other items featured purchased by me.

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Fashion Florida Packing

What I Packed for a Miami Getaway / Travel Diary

April 5, 2019

We had so much fun in Miami I almost didn’t want to come back home! Last weekend Andrew told me he wanted to go to Miami for a spontaneous getaway trip – spontaneous as in “let’s go tomorrow.” I’m normally one who prefers more advance notice but all he had to do was mention The Salty Donut and I did not hesitate to immediately start throwing things into a suitcase. I don’t think I’ve ever packed so fast in my life! If you haven’t tried The Salty Donut in Miami add it yo your list. They have the best donuts I’ve ever had and if I lived in Miami I think eating there would be a weekly habit.

Since moving to Florida so many of you have asked me about packing tips for your vacations. You want to know what to wear, how hot it gets, what sunscreen wears the best, etc. I’ve also received so many questions about the Away Luggage and other accessories like their packing cubes, everywhere bag and backpacks. I’ve put together a travel diary to share exactly what I packed, what I wore and thoughts about everything we’ve tried from Away.

This trip we stayed at the Loews Miami in South Beach. We’ve stayed in a few different areas in Miami before and we really love staying by the beach areas. Other neighborhoods also have their benefits but being in South Beach is so fun. You can literally just stay at a hotel in the area and have everything you need for a fun vacation without a car. We like to get around and since we live in Florida we drove 4 hours from Tampa to Miami. We had a pleasant stay at the Loews! Staff is really attentive, rooms were clean, pool and beach area were really nice. The food and coffee bar were spendy but that is expected in South Beach. We tried breakfast at their Preston’s Market which was pretty good – we ate outside on the covered patio which was really beautiful and relaxing.

Tank – J.Crew / Shorts – 7 ForAll Mankind / Sandals – Sam Edelman Beckie runs true to size / Belt – J.Crew / Mini Crossbody Bag – Chloe Mini Marcie (review here) / Sunglasses – Rayban 55 mm round (love these!!)

This is our fourth trip to Miami and each time we plan a mini vacation. We leave feeling like we should have stayed longer! We’ve already found some favorite eats but force ourselves to try something new each time. That being said, my ride or die must-eats for every trip are The Salty Donut and Panther Coffee in Wynwood. We bought a box of four Salty Donuts and walked over to Panther Coffee down the street for a perfect snack. This round we tried the Guava and Cheese, Coconut Lychee, Chocolate Marshmallow and Traditional Glazed Donuts. They’re AMAZING!

Sunglasses – Rayban / V-neck Tee – J.Crew / Short – AGolde Parker Shorts in Rock Steady / Sandals – Sam Edelman Gaia (runs true to size and comfortable enough for walking around in all day) / Card Case – Gucci / Lips – Dior Addict Lip Glow

For shopping we stopped by the Glossier Miami Pop Up which was a few blocks away, also in Wynwood until April 28th. Full recap plus haul in this post. If you’re in town definitely visit – it’s super cute!

Just around the corner, Wynwood Walls:

During our trip we did a tiny little bit of shopping. We did a quick stop in the Miami Design District to walk around, window shop and browse. I splurged on a pair of Celine Round Sunglasses which I’m really excited about! There’s also a tiny Aesop Store and Andrew bought a few skincare items to try including the Control Anti Blemish Gel and another bottle of Mouthwash. I had my eye on the Sao Paulo Kit for travel but decided to think about it.

Tank – Nation LTD / Shorts – L’Agence Zoe Shorts / Sandals – Sam Edelman / Purse – Chloe Mini Marcie / Sunglasses – Rayban / Necklace – Nordstrom

There’s a really cute Taco Truck inside the Miami Design District called La Pollita which has cute snacks and drinks. We were stuffed from food earlier in the day otherwise would have tried the tacos, we took a few sneaky peeks at what other people were eating and it looked and smelled delicious.

Since we stayed in South Beach we spent the rest of our time near the beach areas. This time of year it’s warm but not too humid and the water temperature is so nice to swim in! We love the blue shallow water, it’s one of the nicest places to swim. We rented lounge chairs and an umbrella at the beach. You can also rent them even if you’re not a hotel guest. Policy might be different depending on hotel, but we’ve also found in Tampa a lot of the hotels will rent their beach chairs and cabanas to anyone.

Tank – Nation LTD Dakota Henley / Shorts – 7 For All Mankind / Hat – Eric Javits / Belt – J.Crew

Tank – Nation LTD / Shorts – 7 For All Mankind / Hat – Eric Javits (love this because the top has enough material to have it rated SPF50 and it prevents your scalp from getting burned, it really works!) / Swimsuit worn underneath not shown is the Tory Burch Costa Top and Bottom

A few more new eats we tried this time included Yardbirds on Leonox Ave and Havana 1957 on Espanola Way. We enjoyed both immensely! If you’re new to the Miami South Beach area, quick note that some restaurants automatically include tip in the bill labeled “Service Charge.” We didn’t realize this at one of the places we ate until after we left and looked at the bill and realized we ended up leaving a seriously hefty tip because we tipped on top of the tip. A few people had mentioned this to me before but I had forgotten about it! I feel like I still have yet to really explore Miami enough to find the best eats. I’d love to explore more of Wynwood though.

Since first discovering Away I’ve now tried their Carry-On, Bigger Carry-On, Medium Suitcase, Everywhere Bag, Packing Cubes and Backpack. Everything has exceeded our expectations in quality and function. I’m an Away Ambassador so the items I’ve featured were gifted but I stand by everything 100%. I have also bought many suitcases on my own to gift to family and it’s been well received, even among the most skeptical and picky ones. Everything has held up really well. My thoughts on each item:

Suitcases:
- Carry-On Suitcase is best if you’re a light packer or traveling on international flights with smaller suit case carry on restrictions
- Bigger Carry-On is our favorite to fly with and travel with in general. Works on flights we’ve flown with Delta, United, American Airlines. It’s roomier than the Carry-On but still fits in the overhead compartments for the listed airlines.
- Medium Suitcase makes more sense for us for longer distance trips. We brought this with us on our California trip over the holiday and think it’s much more convenient to have something larger vs. carry ons for our needs. I plan on buying a second one soon.
Everywhere Bag is the best travel bag I’ve ever tried. I normally use my totes and end up stuffing them full. These bags have well thought out storage zippers and pockets as well as a roomy interior. It fits perfectly under the airplane seat in front of you but is roomy enough to carry a laptop and other essentials you might need for on the plane. There is an exterior pocket to store documents for easy access before you get on the plane. It also has a pocket to attach onto your suitcase handle.
Packing Cubes have gone through a couple design changes, the current ones with mesh top are a lifesaver to organize your clothes, underwear, shoes etc and keep them in place. I bought a set for Andrew and he didn’t want to use them. I begged him to try and he’s now convinced it’s one of the best things invented. He can organize all his clothes by type and he loves how they truly keep things in place without shifting.
Backpack is the larger option of the two they carry, this one has three main compartments to store things that allow you to be truly hands free. We love that it’s cushioned and that the base is flat so it can actually stand up on it’s own if you set it down. There are a couple nicely hidden compartment zippered pockets for things like your passport etc. It fits a lot more than we anticipated!

A closer look at the Backpack which now has a personalization option! There are some more of their soft goods you can personalize with 3 letters which I think is so fun. I have my initials on the backpack. We brought it with us to the beach both back home in Tampa and in Miami. It has really well thought out pocket placement so there’s a place for everything. This one can fit a laptop inside as well.

Tank – Nation LTD / Hat – Eric Javits / Shorts – 7 For All Mankind / Sunglasses – Rayban / Sandals – UGG Kari Sandal (runs true to size) / Backpack – Away

My full pack list linked below, makeup and beauty to follow in a separate post! We each packed a Bigger Carry-On, an Everywhere Bag and shared the Backpack space. Our trip was open ended – we didn’t know how long we’d be away when we left Tampa.

What I packed (including a couple things I didn’t wear but brought just in case):

You always love reading my thoughts on what I brought and what I missed so I’m doing it again! For a very casual laid back last minute getaway I had everything I needed. I still need to find a good beach coverup and an updated beach tote (although our backpack works better than any beach tote I’ve used). I didn’t pack a nice dress for a just-in-case occasion. Some of the restaurants are dressier and require something other than shorts. This round we were ok with everything very casual. I packed a denim jacket and some long denim pants just in case but didn’t end up wearing them. The three pairs of sandals I brought worked perfectly! I probably could have gotten away with just 1 pair of sandals but I like having options for a few days.

If you’re going to be in Florida know the weather can be unpredictable. Bring a few extra sets of clothes packed with you just in case you need to change if you get rained on or sweat too much. When we’re going out to the beach even in Tampa Andrew always reminds me to bring an extra set of clothes to change into. I feel like it’s a bit of a hassle but I’m always really happy when I do have that extra dry clean set to change into. Aside from the obvious good sunscreen and sunglasses, a good hat is a MUST. I really am so impressed with the Eric Javits one I bought – it is large enough to cover the face and has the perfect amount of flop/stiffness with the brim. I’m going to buy one in black too.

Our other Miami Florida trips:

Hope you enjoyed this packing post and mini travel diary! We’ve been in Florida for a little over two years now and there’s still so much more to explore. I still want to go to Palm Beach and perhaps Key West again. If you’ve been to Florida what are your favorite areas?

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Packing Travel What's In My Bag

Travel Makeup for a Week in California

January 9, 2019

Today I’m sharing what makeup I packed for a week of travel in December to California! I’ve also included a closer look at three of my favorite makeup bags that I’ve used numerous times for travel. When it comes to travel and makeup I bring more than I need because I’m always testing products even when I’m on vacation! I don’t always manage to blog or post reviews while I’m on-the-go but behind the scenes I’m always testing and trying out product. For those who want to know sweater worn above is the Everlane Cashmere Crew in Light Oatmeal, size I ordered is XS and it’s a perfect fit! The customer reviews online helped me decide what size to pick based on height and weight.

My recent travel skincare favorites are in this post here. Today’s roundup is all about makeup! I fit most of my makeup into 3 key makeup bags that I have used on many trips including:

The Daily Edited Transparent Travel Case $90 (original version, current one has a wider leather strip on one side)
The Daily Edited Large Cosmetic Case $120
Truffle Clarity Jetset Case $88

All three pouches are ones I bought myself and since I ordered them the prices have gone up. If you see different prices on older posts it’s because they have changed! I do think they were all worth the price because all three have held up really well. If you click on the Travel Packing category you can see what I’ve packed on previous trips. I also usually bring a few of the cute Glossier Pouches that come with online orders because they’re nice to have to protect compacts or fragile items.

Beauty spill of items I packed. I brought my Dyson Supersonic Dryer with me because we were going to be staying with family for a large portion of the trip. Both of them were our brothers who have short hair and don’t use dryers because they don’t need to! For brushes I brought the T3 Vented Brush with me.

Truffle Jetset Clarity Case

An overwhelming number of you asked me about the photo I posted on Instagram above, in particular you wanted to know what brand of makeup bag held all the brushes and if they were full size or travel size tools. I always tag items in Instagram photos so all you have to do is tap the photo once to see brand tags. This one is the Truffle Jetset Clarity Case. It measures 7.5 x 5.25 x 2 inches and has one open compartment inside. The top and base has a clear plastic window so you can see what’s inside. I’m able to fit a lot inside, I have a bag spill of everything I was able to put in it.

All the brushes I brought are the full size options. Lately I’ve been really loving the Laura Mercier Makeup Brushes*. She redesigned them sometime last year and they’re what I’ve been reaching for the most. They’re synthetic and pick up powders really well for smooth application. I still also really love Wayne Goss Makeup Brushes* because they’re ultra soft and well made. Mine have held up over a few years and many washes. I’ve reviewed them here and here.

Other makeup products I fit inside include the:

Pat McGrath Perma Precision Liquid Liner
L’Oreal Lash Paradise Mascara Waterproof
Tom Ford Waterproof Extreme Mascara
Laura Mercier Caviar Eye Stick in Rosegold
Sisley Waterproof Eyeliners x2*
Charlotte Tilbury Lip Cheat in Pillow Talk
Anastasia Brow Wiz in Caramel
Anastasia Tweezers
MAC Eyelash Curler

The Daily Edited Transparent Travel Case

I also really love The Daily Edited Transparent Cases which are a great dupe for the Anya Hindmarch Inflight cases, both compared and reviewed here.

It has two zippered compartments, one is deeper than the other. In the top I’m able to stack 2 Hourglass palettes, shadows and several foundations. If you’re packing liquids you’ll most likely have to put this into checked luggage. The bottom fit some Armani eyeshadow singles and the Anastasia Beverly Hills Soft Glam Palette perfectly.

Things packed inside include:

2 Hourglass 6-pan Palettes (holiday 2018 editions reviewed here and here)
Armani Luminous Silk Foundation in 6.5
Laura Mercier Flawless Fusion Foundation* in Buff
Charlotte Tilbury Hollywood Flawless Filter (review here)
NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer in Ginger
Armani Eyes to Kill Stellar Eyeshadows x4
Hourglass Scattered Light Eyeshadows x5 (review here)
Anastasia Soft Glam Eyeshadow Palette
NARS Velvet Lip Glide in Roseland (review here)
Fenty Beauty Gloss Bombs in Fenty Glow and Fussy (beauty looks here)
Hourglass Arch Brow Tinted Brow Gel in Soft Brunette*
Tom Ford Boys and Girls Lipstick in River (review here)
Charlotte Tilbury Matte Revolution in Pillow Talk

The Daily Edited Large Cosmetic Case

I’ve owned The Daily Edited Large Cosmetic Case one for a long time now and after using it on many trips and several moves I still find it’s one of my favorites. You can monogram these and I’ve picked the smaller size font sometimes with the blind embossing instead of the gold. A number of you have asked for a review on the Cuyana Makeup bags which I still plan on doing, but for this trip I wanted to bring ones I knew would work for me. This one is roomy and sturdy for all a number of things I want to bring. I sometimes pack a couple to separate and organize products.

Inside this one:

Atelier Travel Size Colognes, I love their Vanilla Insensee and Bois Blond for this time of year
Urban Decay All Nighter Spray (mine was from a GWP), but they do have the travel size option with 1 oz/30 ml available individually
IGK Jet Lag Dry Shampoo (mine is the mini)
Kopari Coconut Deodorant Mini (full size reviewed here)
Laura Mercier Translucent Loose Setting Glow Powder*
Fenty Beauty Gloss Bomb in Diamond Milk (on the lips here)
Moroccanoil Treatment mini size
Tom Ford Eyeshadow Quad in Honeymoon
Clinique Take the Day Off (also from a GWP)
La Mer Pressed Powder
Chanel La Creme Main Hand Cream
Tatcha Mini Lipstick

One last look:

Overall I think I packed everything I could have possibly needed for this trip. We tend to travel and dress casually otherwise I would have brought some bolder lip colors. I could have packed a lot more lip gloss or lipstick but I felt like I kept reaching for the light and glossy gloss bombs from Fenty Beauty. The IGK Jet Lag Dry Shampoo was a life saver for me. I’m one who prefers to wash my hair daily but there were a couple days we were so tired by the end of the day all I could do was wash my face before passing out and falling into a deep sleep. The dry shampoo was great for 2nd and 3rd day hair in the mild California climate.

Hope you liked this post! Do you have any go-to travel makeup bags? When I traveled with a couple girl friends I was really surprised to see they use these large canvas zip organizers that unfold and hang to fit all their beauty needs. It literally fits EVERYTHING inside. I like to keep my things separated in little pouches but perhaps I need to investigate the larger beauty organizers for travel.

Press samples have a * next to them. All other items purchased on my own.

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Packing Skincare Travel

Travel Skincare Favorites

January 7, 2019

I have a roundup of some of my favorite travel skincare items that I brought with me on our trip that I used. I tend to over pack on some beauty items, especially makeup, but for skin care I feel like I can keep my travel picks edited. We were in California for a full week and out of the items I packed these are the things I used! Most of my trips have been shorter ones so I pack minis with me when I can.

I usually pack a few face masks on trips but this round I brought my Foreo UFO and it was perfect! I reviewed in detail here, you can see a quick video demo here. I brought 10 packets of the different sheet formulas and used it every single day of our trip. I also packed it into my carry on bag to use on the plane. My skin tends to be dry at higher altitudes so this was the perfect tool to help replenish moisture quickly in 90 seconds. The weather in San Diego, Los Angeles and San Francisco is also noticeably colder compared to Florida. Climate is also a lot more dry. Having this with me was perfect to hydrate and rebalance my skin. It was super convenient and compact to pack into my travel case.

For cleansers and scrubs, I packed minis of the Kate Somerville Eradikate Cleanser, Fresh Beauty Sugar Face Scrub (for me), Kate Somerville Exfolikate Scrub (for Andrew), Drunk Elephant Baby Facial and a mini toner that was from a GWP. I didn’t end up using the Baby Facial, I felt the sugar scrub was sufficient to exfoliate throughout the week. There was a possibility we were going to another destination after San Francisco, so I packed a few extra things just in case.

For moisturizers I used two throughout the week. On most days I felt the Glow Recipe Watermelon Juice Moisturizer mini was sufficient for a lightweight moisturizer. The rest of my skin care routine was enough to balance my skin for something like this one. On a few days and night when I needed more I used the Tatcha Travel Silk Cream.

For lips I packed two items, the Tatcha Kissu Lip Mask (it was limited-edition and currently not available but I hope they bring it back!) and Bite Beauty Agave Lip Mask in Champagne. I used the Tatcha Kissu at night and kept the Bite Beauty Lip Mask with me in my purse for on-the-go application. Both are excellent options for dry lips.

Two face mists I ended up bringing were the Tatcha Luminous Dewy Skin Mist and Omorovicza Queen of Hungary Face Mist. I did not need two but we booked our tickets last minute and I ended up with duplicates with my rush packing job. I ended up using both throughout our travels but found myself reaching more for the Tatcha one. I love that both are travel friendly in size!

Everything was packed up in a few travel pouches including my Away Mini Travel Case and the Truffle Jetset Clarity Case. Both versatile and nice for traveling. I kept a few things to carry on the plane with me but for the most part checked the rest of the liquids in one of our medium suitcases.

There will be a few more packing posts to follow on my travel makeup and more but for now I hope you enjoyed reading about my skincare picks! I think I packed well. I could have skipped was the Baby Facial and packed 1 face mist instead of 2. We were only gone for a week but this was an open ended trip and there was a possibility we were going to be traveling for a while longer. I did feel like I was missing two key things. One was a good eye cream, but I felt my moisturizer did the job for the week. I also did not pack any acne spot treatments, but thankfully I had no breakouts this trip to worry about! I feel the best things I packed for skincare included the Bite Beauty Agave Lip Mask and Foreo UFO Smartmask. I now consider those travel essentials and definitely plan on bringing those with me on future trips!

Do you have any favorite travel skincare essentials? Do you tend to pack for shorter trips (1 week or shorter) or longer vacations? Would love to hear about your favorites!

Post sponsored by Foreo. Press samples featured include the Foreo UFO, Tatcha Dewy Skin Mist, Away Travel Case. Other items purchased by me. As always all opinions are my own.

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Older Posts

Travel

Christmas in Miami Travel Diary

Where We Stayed

Miami Eats

Breakfast Places

Lunch

Dinner

Beach, Shopping and Sights

What I Packed for Key West

Miami Getaway

Where We Stayed

What I Packed

Beauty Packing

Where We Ate

Fun Stuff

Travel Makeup Pouches I Never Leave Home Without

The Daily Edited

Truffle

_________________

Clear Envelope /Flat Pouches

What I Packed for a Miami Getaway / Travel Diary

Travel Makeup for a Week in California

Travel Skincare Favorites

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