Babes who beach: Miami must haves and what to pack for a girls’ trip

I’m fortunate that I get to travel a lot.

Since I hate packing, I actually have two ready-to-go bags, one for toiletries and the other for cosmetics. I usually grabs those for quick trips or work trips, but when it comes to vacations, I like to generally pack more stuff since I usually pay more attention to how I look.

First up is always getting a spray tan (I swear by Tan on the Run Winnipeg), and then I pull out my large Sephora make up bag, which I kid you not, weighted five pounds for my trip to Miami.

We actually booked Miami back in February as a 30th birthday trip for myself and my friend Jordyn (my birthday was in May and hers is in November).  We pitched it to all our friends and in total, there were nine of us going. A separate Miami recap is coming up soon, but as a thank you to everyone who came, I wanted to do goodie bags, since this was always something that we did as kids and it creates so much excitement. It’s also a nice way of saying thank you for spending all that money to come celebrate our birthdays.

Since I’m a beauty gal, I reached out to all my favourite brands and PR and the response was overwhelming. In total, each girl’s bag was worth around C$500, which was more than the plane ticket (since we booked early, we got cheap flights). Each item was curated especially for this trip and was something that I felt would be an essential for a girls’ trip to Miami.

Here’s what was in the bag…

Nest Cocoa Woods Rollerball

Everyone got this scent, so it quickly became the signature scent of the trip. Since it’s a rollerball, this was easy for travel or to throw in your bag. Key notes include Bittersweet Cocoa, Sequoia Wood, White Sandalwood, Tiare Blossom, and Thai Ginger.

Marc Jacobs Beauty Enamoured Hydrating Lipgloss Stick

The brand actually sent over different colours so it was fun to pick out who got what shade. Although these look like they apply with a doe-foot applicator, you actually pull off the cap to reveal a stick which glides sheer colour on the lips. Lip gloss is a must for any trip and the fact that these delivered colour and conditioned the lips was a total plus.

Miss de Gaspe Dry Masks

I just reviewed these on Friday, but they have quickly become one of my favourite masks. Since these are dry, you can reuse them anywhere from three to fives times. The brand sent over all three masks, Defy + Drench (anti-aging and hydrating), Brighten + Beam (brightening and revitalizing), and Purify + Purge (anti-pollution and detoxifying), so we tailored who got what based on what each mask does.

Biolage Styling Blowdry Glotion

This long-wear heat primer was perfect for Miami since all of us were constantly curling, straightening, and blow drying our hair. This product provides 450-degree thermal protection for fast, healthy-looking and frizz-controlled blowouts.

Biolage Styling Air Dry Glotion

For those that didn’t get the heat primer, they got this light-hold, multi-benefit styling spray that leaves your hair with a glossy, finished look. Spray it on damp hair for a fast-drying, colour-protecting look which also tames frizz.

Kerastase Curl Fever Radiant Curl-Shaping Gel

For those girls with curly hair, they got this product which helps restructure curls and give them major shine.

Kerastase Creme de la Creme

This versatile styling cream delivers luxurious smoothing and shape memory, while also providing flexibility, shine, anti-frizz, and humidity control. It’s also great for medium-thick and course hair types.

Kerastase Mousse Bouffante

This volumizing mousse wraps around hair fibres to thicken strands for volume and body. Apply it to damp hair before blowdrying to add fullness and structure, as well as UV and heat protection.

Shu Uemura Blow Dry Beautifier Thermo Hair Cream

This BB cream for hair delivers five benefits: primes the hair fibres, moisturizes without heaviness, smooths and softens the hair, helps protect from blow-dry heat, and shapes and reshapes any look.

Shu Uemura Wonder Worker Heat Styling Hair Primer

For those that didn’t get the BB cream, this spray is an air dry/blow dry primer with seven benefits including: hydrates, detangles, smoothes, conditioned, boosts radiance, tames frizz, and adds silkiness to all hair types. When sprayed on damp hair, it locks in moisture and tames hair for a smooth finish. When used on dry hair, it enhances the hair’s natural texture.

Design.Me Puff Me 

This volumizing powder spray (which comes in a pump) adds instant volume at the roots. It’s also odour free and mess free. Since this was a girls trip, this product was an absolute must (voluminous hair? Definitely!).

Garnier SkinActive Hydrating Cream

This three-in-one moisturizer made with aloe juice is three products in one: a day and night moisturizer, as well as a face mask. Moisturizer is a must for any trip (especially with all the sun and alcohol), and this one definitely quenched the skin.

Garnier Moisture Bomb SkinActive mask 

For those long nights out, these were a savour for the skin. Each mask contains anti-thirst technology, with actives from natural, hyaluronic acids, and half a bottle of hydrating serum.

Tula Mini Purifying Cleanser

Perfect for travel, this probiotic gel cleanser (in the mini size), washes deeps into the pores to remove impurities and condition the skin.

Tula Mini Probiotic Aqua Infusion Oil-Free Gel Cream

This gel-cream moisturizer (also in travel size) quenches skin and leaves it dewy and revived in a weightless, oil-free texture.

Tula Probiotic Exfoliating Treatment Mask

This mini detoxifying bentonite clay mask provides skin with gentle exfoliation without stripping the skin of essential oils. It also has antioxidant-rich blueberry extraterrestrial to hydrate and improve skin tone.

Tula skincare and Esqido lashes

Reversa Antioxidant Booster Serum 

This serum gives skin daily protection from environmental hazards like sun exposure, cigarette smoke, pollution, and stress, all of which are responsible for the loss of skin elasticity, the formation of age spots, fine lines, and wrinkles.

Lierac Hydragenist Moisturizing Rescue Mask

This mask rehydrates and deoxygenates the skin. Modelled after the aesthetic technique of tissue oxygenation, this mask is concentrated in Hydra O2 complex and enriched in Camellia flower oil to rehydrate and reoxygenate the skin, making wrinkles and fine lines smoothed.

Reversa Radiance Cream SPF 30

This was perfect for days by the pool or on the yacht, since this hydrating cream has an SPF 30 and it helps to reduce the appearance of brown spots and acne marks. It also evens out skin tone and restores skin radiance, while providing protection against UVA/UVB sun rays. This one definitely came in handy since we used it as a facial sunscreen thanks to the fact that it corrected skin tone and protected us against sun damage.

Invisibobble Original Hair Cords

I’ve been obsessed with these hair cords lately, so I knew they were a must for the goodie bags. They leave your hair with no kinks, no headaches, and give you a strong hold. I like using these at night to ponytail my hair while I sleep to keep my style looking great.

L’Oreal Lash Paradise mascara

One of my favourite mascaras, this gives you major volume and lengthened lashes. If you love Too Faced Better Than Sex, than you’ll need to try this one out. Best of all, it’s a fraction of the price.

Phytomillesime Color Protecting Mist

Perfect for colour-treated and highlighted hair, this texturizing mist is perfect for your hair as a finishing step. Hair is left frizz free and guarded against external aggressors and oxidation.

Neutrogena Hydro Boost Water Gel Sunscreen SPF 50

I’ve been using this sunscreen all summer so it’s quickly become one of my new favourites. This SPF 50 sunscreen provides effective broad-spectrum UVA/UVB protection with a water-light feel. It also has hyaluronic acid which quenches skin leaving it looking healthy.

Neutrogena ULTRA SHEER® Face & Body Stick Sunscreen SPF 50+

This sunscreen in a stick formula is great for your face and body as it glides on easily and is convenient for travel.  It’s also ultra light and non-greasy.

Neutrogena ULTRA SHEER® Dry-Touch Lotion SPF 45

This SPF 45 sunscreen provides protection against skin-aging UVA and burning UVB rays. It also has the Dry-Touch technology for an ultra-light, non-shiny finish.

Neutrogena All-in-One Make-Up Removing Cleansing Wipes

These makeup-removing wipes gently remove 99 per cent of all makeup in one step. Suitable for all skin types, they leave skin clean and fresh.  These are a must for pretty much any trip (but especially a girls’ trip since removing makeup after the club is always a pain).

To say that everyone was well stocked, that would be an understatement. Aside from packing makeup though, skincare, hair products, and sunscreen is a major must for any trip.

Since I like to consider you guys my friends, I actually got an extra of each item for a giveaway for a lucky follower on Instagram (plus some other goodies like a pair of luxurious Esqido lashes). Head on over to my page to enter and good luck!

What are your travel must haves?

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