I always said I would do a big trip for my 30th birthday.
Having turned the big 3-0 this year, I started planning this trip last year, and since a friend was also celebrating her 30th this year, we chose to do a vacation together. I knew I wanted to go somewhere hot, so it was down to Vegas or Miami, but since I’ve done Vegas like six time and Miami never, we chose the latter.
I’ve always had an interest in travelling to the southern Florida city. The beaches, the nightlife, the architecture, the history… there’s lots to see in Miami. In total, there were nine of us girls going and since we booked our flights so early, it was a cheap trip down.
We decided to stay at the Fontainebleau Hotel, which was one of my bucket list hotels to stay at. The property, which opened in 1954, is located on Collins Avenue and faces the Atlantic Ocean. It has over 1,500 rooms with 12 restaurants and bars, a spa, as well as number of swimming pools. Honestly, you could spend your entire trip here as it’s a full-blown resort.
Although we spent tons of time at the pool and in the comfort of our junior suite (we also had a basic guest room), we did tons of exploring around the city as well. Since the hotel is north on Collins Avenue, most of the places we went to were a 20-minute drive away. We did do some research into restaurants and lounges and ended up eating at some fabulous places. We were also in luck since it was Miami Spice month, which meant that most restaurants had a set menu that you could a three-course meal for a good price. Some restaurant highlights were Upland, Planta (which also has a location in Toronto), and Cecconi’s.
Three of us girls arrived in on the Wednesday and the rest came on the Thursday. On Friday, we prebooked a yacht via Getmyboat.com, which took us around the city so we could see all the giant mansions that surround the water. If you’re doing a Miami trip, I highly recommend doing this as it truly was a highlight for us, and let’s be honest, living in Winnipeg you don’t see many yachts around the area (if at all…). After the yacht, we went to Wynwood, which is this cool arts district filled with street murals, restaurants, and cool shops, and walked around and took photos. We also popped in to this delicious Mexican place called Coyo Taco.
After Wynwood, some of us girls walked over to a nearby Target because that’s always a must for any American trip, then went back to the hotel to get ready for the night. We went to Upland for dinner, then made our way over to Basement Miami, where we unfortunately just missed our reso for their bowling alley. Instead, we made our way over to Hyde Beach at the SLS before retiring back at the hotel for the night.
On Saturday, a bunch of us made our way to Planta in South Beach, this vegan restaurant that is oh-so-Instafriendly and then walked a short 10 minutes to the beach where we saw some cute lifeguard stations and enjoyed the warm coastal waters. Since Miami was getting into hurricane season, rain would happen on and off throughout the trip, and unfortunately it did start up again as we were laying on the beach. We quickly grabbed an Uber and made our way back to the Fontainebleau, where some of us hit the pool and the rest of us stayed back to do hair and makeup for the night ahead.
One of the things I wanted to do the most was visit the Versace Mansion, now known as the Casa Casuarina, which is a luxury hotel on Ocean Drive. In case you guys aren’t familiar with the history of the property (or didn’t watch American Crime Story: The Assassination of Gianni Versace), it was owned by Gianni Versace and he was actually shot right on the front steps. Since we didn’t stay there, we went instead to the bar and got some prosecco so we could walk around and check it out. Aside from the yacht, this was the second highlight of the trip for me since it’s such an iconic building with so much history. Checking out the architecture and pool was truly an experience and it was so amazing to share it with so many close friends. I highly recommend checking this out if you are in Miami. If you aren’t staying at the hotel (it starts at like $800 a night, USD), then make sure you pop by the bar or the restaurant, which opens at 6 p.m.
After the Versace Mansion, we grabbed an Uber to Cecconi’s, which was actually right beside our hotel, and then after dinner we walked back so we could go to LIV at the Fontainebleau.
The next day we went to Calle Ocho, also known as Little Havana, where we just had to try some Cuban coffee and a Cuban sandwich. Afterwards we walked around the area a little bit before grabbing an Uber and making our way back to the hotel to check out and head to the airport.
I’ve done many girls trips in the past, but this one definitely had the most people. It was so fun to hang around all my besties and really just enjoy ourselves in a beautiful location. Although I am happy to be back and fully get into fall weather, I can’t wait to hit the beautiful beaches of Miami once again sometime in the future.
Have you been to Miami?
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Shampoo and conditioner. Two basic items anyone needs in their life.
When it comes to haircare, there are so many options out there based off your hair type and what you look for when washing your hair. Since my hair is long, thick, and coloured, I tend to go for something that will keep it healthy and also keep my blonde looking bright, but to be honest, I’m not really married to one line in particular. I do have a couple favourites, however, love trying out new brands and new lines within that brand.
Since it’s pretty much fall, that means that the weather will be getting colder and the air drier, at least here in Winnipeg. Like I said, my haircare closet is currently stocked, but I’ve received these products recently and totally recommend trying them out if you are looking for something new.
MoroccanOil Color Complete Collection
Consisting of a shampoo, conditioner, and leave-in spray treatment, this line helps your hair look vibrant even after being exposed to daily environmental stressors that cause colour to fade and become brassy. The brand says that after 10 washes, the collection is scientifically proven to extend colour life and vibrancy by 100 per cent.
The shampoo (C$30) is gentle and sulfate-free and extends your in-salon treatment. All these products include their ColorLink technology, which continuously repairs both chemically and physically, so that your hair retains colour properly.
The conditioner (C$31) features a nourishing, sulfate-free formula that helps to rebuild the keratin structure and lock in colour using the same ColorLink technology.
Finally, once you are out of the shower, spray in the Protect & Prevent Spray (C$34.50) to help reduce brassiness and fading. It also helps shield hair from environmental factors, including UV rays, pollution, and thermal damage. It contains ArganID micro-encapsulated technology to repair and seal the hair cuticle.
I’ve used this line a few times and I have to say that at first I didn’t love it. I found it made my hair feel kind of dry, but since I don’t like to form opinions based off of one or two trials, I kept pulling it out and using it and found by the third time I used it, it made my hair quite soft and the colour luminous.
I have a number of colour care lines, and although I don’t find this one to be any better than others out there, I really do love the spray, since this is one of the items I always use when my hair is still damp. I find colour-protecting sprays to be really useful when you have blonde hair since they tend to keep the colour looking top-notch.
L’Oreal Paris Dream Lengths
New to drugstore haircare, L’Oreal Paris has recently released a haircare line to help long hair out.
I have long hair myself and often find I’m looking at my split ends and annoyed at the fact that they just keep reappearing. Long hair, although beautiful, is susceptible to damage and split ends, which means you often need to go for a haircut. This line helps repair hair to the tips, so you can save your locks from split ends and constant haircuts.
Consisting of a shampoo, conditioner, and serum, this line includes castor oil, which nourishes, adds shine, and keeps hair long and healthy. It also has vitamins to make hair stronger.
I particularly love the Dream Lengths No Haircut Cream, which you apply to your hair focusing on the ends after your shower to seal split ends and strengthen the hair. It also adds shine and makes hair easier to style and provides heat protection up to 180 degrees C.
Hair Food Moisture Honey & Apricot Shampoo and Conditioner
I had only briefly heard of Hair Food in the past, but when I received this I was eager to try it all out.
The first thing you’ll notice about this line is how huge the bottles are. These bottles are filled with ingredients that help nourish our bodies, not harm them. This particular line contains honey and apricot and is a conditioning recipe that moisturizes dry, dull hair, smoothes the hair cuticle, and helps to protect hair against future damage.
The formula contains no parabens or mineral oil and best of all, it smells like honey. These retail for around $14, which considering how large the bottles are, is a great deal since it will last you a long time.
Like I said, I wasn’t that familiar with the brand prior to receiving these products from London Drugs, however, after trying them out, I did notice that my hair felt super soft and nourished.
I love switching up my haircare routine often just depending on my mood that day and what I feel my hair needs in that moment. Next time you’re in Sephora or your local drugstore, definitely stop by the haircare aisle to check these out.
What’s your favourite haircare line?
Please note, products provided by PR. All opinions are my own.
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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.
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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