My recent adventures to Palm Springs and Las Vegas have had me reaching and grabbing for some of my favorite summertime skin care items! This summer is heating up with some record breaking temperatures so I want to share with you what’s in my beach bag! From skincare to haircare, all the way to how to look sexy AND stay cool, it’s all here!
This was our view from our sunny spot at the Avalon Bungalows! I mean, it doesn’t get any more perfect than enjoying fresh coconut water from a REAL coconut, pool side with your best girlfriends! We ordered all the foods, all the beverages, and yes – I even busted into my coconut for that coconut meat, with a BUTTER KNIFE! I am a true Chamorro girl! With my islander roots and savage ways, nothing was going to keep me away from that coconut! haha *you should’ve seen everyone’s faces!*
Have any fun summertime stories to share?! Do tell! It’s summer lets celebrate!
Everyone deserves a vacation where you can unplug, reset, and refuel.
Everyone needs A BIRTHDAY GETAWAY TO CATALINA ISLAND! It’s the season of the Aries!!!! There have been a lot of birthdays this month, my own included! Our most recent celebration took us to Catalina Island for a surprise birthday getaway for our friend Brittany, and some extra celebrating for myself 😉 I can’t even describe how gorgeous it is there!
The closest thing to a personal island getaway from our home in L.A., is Catalina Island! If you’ve never been, it’s about a 40 minute drive to the dock in Long Beach from Los Angeles, then we took a 45 minute boat ride to Catalina. I’m telling you, everyone deserves a vacation where you can unplug, reset, and refuel. It was just what we all needed and it couldn’t have been any more perfect!
The hotel was nestled right in the middle of town, surrounded by huge vibrant flowers and families of succulents. We even sat by the fire the night we arrived and went on the prowl for smores!
We stayed at the Pavilion, just a five minute walk from the pier and a hop and a skip away from the beach front restaurants and sand! P.S. They have the world’s best continental breakfast complete with the usual suspects from brekky and an assortment of fruit, pastries, and the best lattes!
This point here is actually where I got scuba certified last year, I mean just look at how clear the water is, so beautiful. This view was just a short walk from the hotel to the beach where you see the casino and surrounding boats, sadly we didn’t spot any bison on this trip! Next time!
Check out the video capturing our time in this beautiful place, up on my channel now!
These pictures only show you how beautiful the island is and where we stayed, but wait until you see what we got to do while we were there! Huge thank you to my beautiful and uber talented friend Brittany who took these photos! Happy birthday Brit, we love you!
It was so nice to have spent time with friends that know us and get us and I wouldn’t have wanted to be anywhere else! Do you have friends that just GET you and that you’d be neighbors with for life just to exchange morning chats and giggle fests with?
If you’ve never been to Catalina I hope you get to make your way there and check out the island and everything it has to offer. There’s so much to do and see there, and it inspired me to relaunch my travel series! Stay tuned and happy week to you!!!
If you’ve been following my adventure series than you know I’ve been on some pretty awesome excursions these past few months!
Our latest explorations brought us to Yosemite, CA with our good friends Esther and Jacob of Local Adventurer, who invited us to join them on a snow-shoeing snow-day extravaganza! Before hopping into the car and excitedly making our way from the sun to the snow though, I of course, had a meltdown … WHAT WAS I GOING TO WEAR?!?!?!
We live in L.A. so we’ve become a little lot accustomed to our ‘clear skies, perfect 75 degree, surf and swim’ conditions. So to prepare for what was predicted to be a winter storm with 10+ inches of snow and icy roads, I told myself, “meh, five layers will be fine!”
I searched high and low for good deals on the internet for a few reasons, 1) I had t-minus 4 days to get my butt in gear, literally 2) if you haven’t been in the market for snow gear lately, insider-tip: they’re expensive! 3) I’m not an insider so I have zero clue what I need, where to get it, or what I will actually use verses what I will buy just because it’s CUTE, hashtag Wanderlust.
So this is what I ended up purchasing, and I have to say, I did pretty good! *high fives self* I got most things on sale and on time (hallelu Amazon Prime)! I also got a few things in child sizes because, cheaper. I’m a size 5 1/2 in women’s shoes so that makes me a child size 4! Pro tip: you can apply this kind of calculation for purchasing Uggs and other expensive shoes that you’d like to pay 30-50% less for.
I didn’t know how ‘active’ we’d be on this trip and a lot of the gear was labeled ‘low to moderate’ activity. How does one quantify the level of activity snowshoeing will bring? So I assumed it wouldn’t be THAT strenuous (1st lie I told myself). So I layered up (pictured below), featuring the bottom layer, and I also wore some tights underneath and a huge winter coat over top.
Emphasis on waterproof for as much of the apparel as possible because when snow melts it becomes cold ice-water. You don’t want that pressed up against your skin when changing isn’t an option (oh you’ll be cute with less layers they said, it’s not that cold they said. Hashtag Wanderlust).
Well here I am, all geared up, layered up, and ready to go! How cute are Esther and I?! This is us attempting to throw a snow ball. Jacob snapped a few photos of us and then we all frolicked in the snow until we were ready to go inside to thaw out.
Snowshoeing with everyone this weekend in this snowy winter wonderland was wonderful! Also, it was a workout! Midway through the hike up a hill (that felt like it was an 80% incline but was probably not steep at all, 2nd lie I told myself!) I removed two of my layers and rolled them up into Joe’s backpack and honestly I was just fine for the rest of the trip. Blame it on sweaty me, huffing and puffing up the hill, but I didn’t need the extra layers at all.
This was the entrance to the short cut that Joe and I took back to the lodge to meet up with the group for lunch. How incredibly beautiful are these trees? Snow makes everything even more magical, but so does Joe’s photography skills.
This is tunnel view, looking out onto half dome when we first arrived into the park on Friday. Just moments before this photo was taken the clouds were dark and we thought we’d missed seeing the sun look over the mountains. Then, wouldn’t ya know it, mother nature peered her beautiful face through the clouds and we all went nuts!
This is from our second trip to tunnel view this weekend and the landscape looked completely different from the 24 hours before. Ominous and moody, I was happy that we could appreciate the contrast in views and see the beauty in both.
I was sad to leave this enchanted forest but I’m excited to come back this summer! It’s pretty remarkable the ways you experience nature just given the change in season.
I hope this post inspired you to visit a snowy scene near you AND informed you of how to properly layer up! To see more photos from this weekend’s trip check out the hashtags #yosemitesnowday #tenayalodge and #yosemite_dn. While you’re at it, catch up on all of my #FindYourPark happenings by typing in the hashtag and scrolling through!
I really had a superb time with all of these marvelous people; I loved meeting new faces and spending quality time with long time friends, so please head over to Esther and Jacob’s blog and check out their adventures! They inspire me so much!
What winter wonderland activity would you most like to do?! P.S. If you haven’t tried snowshoeing than you should because, easier than snow boarding!
I’ve been a little jet setter these past few months with all of the holiday traveling, projects that’ve brought me on some adventures, and family getaways. I wanted to share with you a few of my travel essentials- whether I leave for 2 weeks or 2 days, I pack only ONE bag. I never check luggage, I know, crazy right?! Well here’s how I do it!
Airlines allow you one carry-on and one personal item on board without accruing any additional fees … usually. So in my ‘personal item’ there are some things that I pack to make my travels a bit more comfortable, each and every time.
I personally love utilizing a backpack to tote around my personal items instead of a big purse. With a big purse; the larger it is, the more I pack in it, the heavier it becomes, and then boom I can’t feel my arm. Soooo, in this backpack are the usual suspects that I pack each time, which include:
1. Lip Balm– because, dry and stagnant air while flying in airplanes
2. Facial hydrating mist– because, dry and stagnant air while flying in airplanes, and this one is the most refreshing and quickest absorbed
3. Hand lotion– I can’t get over how dry the air is when you fly, am I the only one? I mean my hair, my skin, my everything, feels so dehydrated. This one not only soothes dry skin, it also just so happens to smell like banana runts candy … swoon
4. Hand sanitizer– because I’m a bit of a germaphobe and traveling makes this hypochondriac over here all kinds of paranoid
5. Snackies– because I’ve been known to get hangry
6. Nuun vitamins– because I feel like we pick up so many germs when we travel and I don’t like being sick … yup hypochondriac thoughts in full force
7. Eye mask, ear plugs, and tissue– because, sleep. Sleep is nice and I’m a great napper!
8. Planner and pen- Some people conjure up their best ideas on the toilet or in the shower … I get the shower bit, I too think up some great things in the shower, weird I know. I also think up great ideas on planes. Also weird, but in those moments it’s nice to jot them all down!
In my carry-on I use the ‘roll method’ of packing clothing. I usually pack 1-2 pairs of shoes depending on the activities planned at said destination, a few leggings, various tops and tanks that can be mixed and matched, and something warm to layer-up with. If you aren’t one of those ‘plan out your outfits in advance’ kind of people, this method may not work for you. I challenge you to give this a go and let me know how it works for you! I also very Tetris-style, pack away the following must-have items for any trip I go on:
1. A cosmetic rollup for my toiletries- it keeps everything like shampoo, conditioner, body wash, lotion, and morning hygiene items, organized and easily at my disposal. It also fits only the approved travel-sized products, and it rolls up to a nice and neat burrito of a bag.
2. Two makeup bags- this daintier makeup bag carries my ‘grab and go’ items like eye liner, mascara, and concealer (the things I can’t live without and will grab and pack no matter what size purse is with me). This larger makeup bag carries my bigger items like makeup brushes, foundation, perfume(s), and any bottled primers.
3. A ‘face-kit’ bag– I coined this bag with the term because it carries all of my morning and nightly skin care routine items. My face wash, toner, moisturizer, eye cream, SPF, oils, and serums. Hence, the whole ‘kit’ part of it. I need all of these things, I’ve convinced myself of this. This particular bag comes in different sizes and can be machine washed incase of any spills. Hallelu!
4. My technology- my vlog camera which is tiny enough to tote along anywhere, my chat light incase natural lighting fails me, an external charger, and a monkey tripod which can attach to just about anything, it’s a life saver!
These are just a few of my favorite things, the things I pack with me on any every trip I go on. I wanted to share these particular items because they make the cut no matter how long, or short, my trip will be. I hope this will help you to pack more efficiently!
Let me know what your go-to items are whether they’re in your personal carry on or something you check with your luggage! We all fancy different things for different reasons, so share with me yours!
See you later this week with my current favorite metabolism-boosting smoothie recipe! Happy week to you!
As Christmas morning quickly approaches, I thought I’d share with you some of my favorite gift ideas! For him, for her, and whether you’re on a budget or not, these are sure to put a smile on their face! Just so that this list doesn’t turn into my ‘favorite last-minute gift ideas’, try and pick a few of these up this weekend! Only fourteen more sleeps!
GIFTS FOR HER UNDER $20 Nail polish andperfume sets are sure to make her chuckle because you’ve been paying attention to what she likes, why YES, she DID get a new haircut, go YOU! Blanket scarves are all the rage, keep her cozy and in style! The infinity necklace is like your love, infinite and cheesy!
GIFTS FOR HIM UNDER $20 This bonsai tree will be like your love fern; if he can keep it alive then he’ll be great with the future babies you have together right? Right! Make him fall in love with you all over again with this ultra cool drink koozie! Love says, “I’ll bring you a beer AND make sure it’s nice and chill, like me, because I’m a COOL girlfriend”. Pun intended. Also, his sock game can be on POINT now, just slip these into his stocking. The other socks he owns are probably holey or missing its pair anyway!
GIFTS FOR HIM UNDER $50
The fastest way to a man’s heart … is through his belly! Not a beer belly per say, BUT this makes a wonderful gift set! It’ll make him kiss you faster than he can make the beer! If he’s all about that Axe body spray life (ahem Joe!) and you want to ease him into a sexy man scent, try gifting him with a cologne that you LOVE! He’ll love it too and he’ll appreciate the extra sniffs and nuzzles from you! Flannels are just as sexy as they are fashionable in my opinion, and nothing screams, “I’m a sexy AND strong lumberjack”, quite like a flannel does! Or a man bun. And a burly beard.
GIFTS FOR HER UNDER $100
Team building skills are best created through adventures and activities! Make some memories and find some incredible things for the two of you to do on sites like Living Social and Groupon! Double that with a polaroid camera to capture all the moments because you KNOW how much she likes taking photos of YOUR food! Besides, nothing makes a better Instagram photo than a collage of polaroids! Speaking of collages, you can one-up that gift by creating beautiful frames and art work with those photos by using services like Shutterfly and other photo making programs! Look at you, you’re a gifting PRO! PS she totally needs this getaway bag to go with, because truth!
GIFTS FOR HIM UNDER $100Men love taking selfies with us and FOR us, just about as much as they like talking about how AWESOME our love fern/bonsai gift was! Why not at least let him capture the moments HE loves, in style! Gift him with a rad camera … and be the 1st photo he takes with it! See, win win! Accessories really polish a man’s look off with just the right amount of taste and class. I think he’ll absolutely LOVE this watch with its man band and all! Last but not least, for the gamer inside of every man, be the coolest girlfriend/boyfriend/wife/ husband ever by surprising him with a new game or accessory! It shows that you semi-approve of all the time he spends gaming, AND that you’re actually listening to him talk about the game through all of those eye rolls of yours!
I hope this quick gift guide helps you in picking up a gift or FIVE the next time you’re out scrambling with the rest of us, in a frenzy at the mall the night before Christmas!
Happy holidays from me to you and let me know what your go-to gift is for that special lady or fella in your life!
That time in-between breakfast and lunch, when you’ve missed all of the good breakfast specials. It’s not quite lunch time but you still want breakfast items … bring on brunch!
I had the most delicious brunch meal with my great friend Meeshel in Culver City at The Wallace on Main Street. We’d searched Yelp high and low for a brunch spot that had reasonable prices with exceptional reviews and we’d finally settled on The Wallace.
Meeshel ordered the fried chicken sandwich with celery slaw and harissa aioli. It took everything in me not to reach over and snag her plate! I’m a sucker for fried chicken and it’s usually my go-to order. I wanted to try something new however, so I got the veggie wrap that was packed full of vegetables, avocado, pistachio, and tarragon chimichurri! Deeeelish!
Brunch just wasn’t complete without our adult beverage, and instead of the usual Bloody Mary or Mimosa, we both set our sights on a Wallace signature drink- Morning Sex. It featured bourbon and passion fruit and it was just as amazing at it sounds! Even the edible flower was beautiful and delicious! It was tangy and sweet without being overpowering at all.
True to bourbon beverages, it was chilled with a huge block of ice that kept the drink cold without watering it down. It was easily one of the most delicious drinks I’ve ever had. If you’re into bourbon, or passion fruit for that matter, it’s a must try when you visit! Now for the specs!
PARKING:
There is a ton of street parking! There are a number of parking lots nearby that you pay and park at, making it convenient to stick around after you’ve eaten to explore the area.
PRICE:
$$ You won’t break the bank indulging in food and drinks.
BRUNCH ITEMS:
With your traditional brunch favorites like chicken and waffles, and biscuits and gravy, each dish has its own Wallace spin to them!
KID FRIENDLY:
Yes! It isn’t advertised as a kid friendly choice, but I believe with its clean and spacious layout you can bring the kiddos! It’s not an anxiety inducing space that us parents would have to worry about making a mess at – with flinging bread crumbs and syrup stickiness.
ATMOSPHERE:
Very clean and modern looking with its decor and structure. Not posh at all, but not a place you’d wear your beach clothes to. I loved that there was a mix of business professionals having brunch alongside moms and best friends catching up over their mid-morning mimosas.
SEATING:
Both indoor and outdoor. On a beautiful day I’d say sit outside!
PET FRIENDLY:
Yes! With its lovely outdoor seating, you can bring your fur baby to enjoy brunch with you! Yayyy!!!
All in all it’s a wonderful brunch spot to check out the next time you want a special twist on your special breakfast favorites.
Let me know what your favorite brunch menu items are and I hope you have a beautiful week!!!!
Team Internet is back at it with another exciting and fun filled convention, and this year I joined Mashable and the National Park Service who brought me all the way to our nation’s capital for Playlist Live D.C.!
Video conferences like Playlist Live are a place for creators, brands, and audience members to gather and chat all things new media! It’s such an exciting time in our space and I’m so happy to announce that I’ve partnered with Mashable and the National Park Service and Foundation for their centennial celebration! 100 years of service!
In honor of this special occasion the NPS and Foundation launched operation #FindYourPark Press Play- and being the avid adventurer that I am, I was beyond excited to join the movement! It’s a YouTube based contest and the goal is that we inspire you to discover your National park and to share your adventures with us!
Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area
I kicked the campaign off for myself by hiking our favorite spot, the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area (above) – where in ONE spot you can stand and enjoy views of both the ocean and the mountains. It’s my go-to place for a reset and reflection. As creatives, we’re required to pump out daily ideas and spontaneous creativity – and for most of us that requires us to be at home. A lot. It’s nice to get out and get moving to recharge your mind and body so no matter your occupation, here’s your friendly reminder to do that.
So with my hiking footage in tow, I traveled to D.C. to meet up with Park Rangers Emily and Mathew to help announce our mission, live on stage, to Playlist Live! Here we are, right after crushing it on the main stage in the company of our amazing audience members! P.S. I moon-shuffled off stage.
Jess Pointing At Rangers Pointing At Things
Me pointing at Rangers pointing at things. This is a meme everybody, you’re welcome. Also, we became the three best friends that anyone’s ever had.
After the event I went exploring, after all D.C. is my birth place!
The Washington Monument
I made it to the Washington Monument and in true Jess form, I took about 274,388 selfies with this beautiful landmark.
When in D.C.
I love Maryland for all of its seasons, good food, and good people. I can’t wait to come back! I really had a blast at Playlist Live with our team from Mashable and the National Park Service and Foundation. If you were there and we got a photo together, please TAG me on Instagram or Twitter! Perhaps you got some footage of me doing that awesome moon-shuffle off stage!
If you weren’t there here’s your chance to win FREE tickets to Playlist Live Orlando 2016, and if you were there, here’s your chance to COME BACK! 5 lucky winners from the #FindYourPark Press Play contest will win tickets to Playlist Live Orlando 2016 and here’s how you enter!
Visit a national park – find one close to you here
Record your adventures! Get creative and have fun … and remember, safety first!
Upload the video to your YouTube channel and don’t forget to include the hashtags #FindYourPark and #Contest in your video’s description
I can’t wait to see you next year, and guess what else!!! Amongst other awesome prizes, those 5 lucky winners will also have their videos featured on Mashable! So go be adventurous, discover your park, and share your explorations with us! You have until March 4th to submit your videos.
You can check out the article on Mashable that features my video here, and follow me on Snapchat for all of my Snap Stories! I’m back with our annual #30dayswithJess challenge, and we’re on day 5 so tomorrow we’ll take our #JessQuests on yet another adventure, and I will have that video up this Wednesday!
I’ll leave you with this photo, #SquadGoals, as you conjure up YOUR next exploration! Here’s a link to 37 National Parks you should visit recommended by my friends at montemlife.com!
Squad Goals!
This post is sponsored by Mashable in partnership with the National Park Service and Foundation. I am proud to explore our park for the #FindYourPark Press Play campaign.
Trips to cities you love always seem to go too quickly! I’ve put together the vlog of Corrine and I from our travels last week when we visited with Dr. Raj and her team at the TULA headquarters. They’re located in the heart of N.Y.C., such a beautiful city and attached are some photos of our adventures while we were there! We had a pretty awesome candid sit down interview with Dr. Raj . . . who btw is my new bff, tbh . . . she and I have the same favorite color and we both believe in beauty from the outside in, which totally qualifies me for a bff position 😉
I think what you’ll enjoy most about the interview is how sincerely Dr. Raj speaks about the philosophy of TULA, the necessity of balance, and the science behind their patented collection of skin care products. She was a pleasure to chat with and I’m so happy I got to spend time in the place where it all started and ask some questions that we’d all been dying to ask like, “What’s next for the TULA brand?!”, and you get the exclusive right here!
To see the rest of the vlog click HERE to head on over to my channel for the full video, and to enter in our awesome giveaway of TULA products simply TAG me here in the comments, send me a message, or TAG me on Instagram, Twitter, or Facebook! You can enter all of these different ways and as many times as you want so that I see your response on every platform! Don’t forget to use the hashtag #TULAForLife so I can follow along and be sure to tell me what you look for most when searching for a great skin care line!
I will announce the winners on my blog next week so stay tuned for that and Good Luck! I have each of the sets that we’re giving away and you will flip when you receive them, they’re game changers! I’m all about the packaging, I mean how beautiful is this color?!
And of course we soaked up as much of the city as we could while we were there and this was our first view!
A busy street corner with deli sandwiches and the yummiest pastries!
The view from our hotel room. We never noticed that in New York we could never see the sky because the buildings are so tall and they cover the clouds.
Corrine throwing up signs of peace and love for this most delicious dessert! Fro-yo topped with Captain crunch, oreo chunks, and chocolate chips. Oh. my. goodness.
The Freedom Tower. So beautiful, so surreal to see it in life, remembering always.
Breakfast day 2. The yummiest avocado toast topped with a sunny side up egg and fresh green apple slices. Yes that would be fresh mint water and flowers on our table *swoons*
Art was everywhere. This was on the side of a building in the Meat packing district and for some reason I had to stop and have a photo with it.
My city babe exploring one of her favorite cities!
Our last breakfast before flying home. We get it New York, your breads are superior. What is in your water?! This was the bestttt bagel sandwich I’ve ever had. Like ever.
And just like that we’re back home! I’ve gotta say . . . as much as we enjoy traveling and visiting other cities and meeting new people, Los Angeles will always be home. I love our city.
Thank you for watching the video blog and the awesome interview we did with Dr. Raj! Please be sure to enter our TULA giveaway, I WANT you to have these incredible products! There’s still time, you have until next Tuesday to enter!
Let me know in the comments what you look for when searching for a skin care regime, and where have you traveled to this summer?! Spill it! Have a be-you-tiful week beauties!
“I’m going to have to ask you to check your luggage.” Oh those dreaded words. When you travel you’re frazzled! You’re trying to take off your shoes without your feet touching the germy ground, while taking your lap top out of its case, WHILE making sure you eliminate any kind of jewelry or metal that would cause TSA to have to frisk you! Pro tip: travel as light as possible.
Corrine and I are traveling to NYC this week and we’re so excited to share with you our city adventures, our shopping finds, and what all the hub bub is about! The hub bub yes! So if you’ve been watching my videos *ahem I’ll wait here while you catch up* than you know that Tula is a company I’ve been obsessed with supported since they were a start-up company who appeared on QVC.
Well we’re beyond happy to be joining them this week at their headquarters in New York, sitting down with Dr. Raj herself, and hosting the coolest Tula product giveaway you’ve ever seen! I have a few questions myself for Dr. Raj but I’d love to have some of your questions answered too, so be sure to leave them for us in the comments! So meeting the team behind one of the companies I’m so passionate about is such an exciting event and all I could think about was, “What am I going to PACK?”!
I know I know, you were thinking the exact same thing! Well have no fear lil grasshoppers today I’m going to share with you my top 15 must-have-at-all-times-no-matter-where-I-go- items!
1. Free People tote: this bag is perfect for traveling! It carries everything, I mean everything! It has two side pockets so that your phone and your card holder don’t get lost in the abyss, and it’s as deep as the Mary Poppins bag! To see my Mary Poppins take on hand bags click here!
2. Scentbird perfume atomizer: a lipstick atomizer that is travel friendly, you get a new designer fragrance each month, and it comes in the cutest packaging! You can try a new fragrance each day if you wanted! Hey a girl’s gotta have options!
3. Tula (for lyyyyfe) revitalizing eye cream:this eye cream goes on like butter, absorbs quickly, hydrates your delicate eye area like crazy, and smells like heaven.
5. Micheal Kors wristlet: this jet set travel wristlet is large enough to accommodate your iPhone 6, your Samsung, and keeps your entire life close by – i.e. ID, credit cards, and cash.
6. Louis Vuitton agenda: this is the small agenda, 6 ring, and cutest ever life organizer you can get your hands on! I love that it’s small enough to be toted with me in any cross body bag and has slots for credit cards and ID.
7. Lanza portable hairspray: airport security has confiscated enough hairspray from me to support a Texan pageant. So now I carry with me a portable hairspray and this Lanza one smells increds!
8. Itssewann cosmetic pouches: these are handmade, laminate pouches, machine washable, convenient and come in a variety of sizes. Perfect for packing toiletries and spillable items! She also makes custom snack bags!
9. Shiseido Benefiance eye masks: whenever I travel I feel jet lagged even if it’s from LAX to SF! So I always pack eye masks so that upon my arrival to said scheduled event – I don’t look like I’ve just flown in from Egypt.
10. Caudalie hand and nail cream: whenever I travel I also feel like my skin gets SO dry. This is the perfect hand cream, it smells fresh, hydrates your hands, and conditions your cuticles. It’s always been a favorite of mine!
11. Karen Walker sunnies: love love love these! I have a thing for oversized sunglasses and these tortoise framed beauties were worth every penny! I feel so chicin them even if they’re all I have on my face – even sans the makeup!
12. Asos hand lotion in cucumber: I told you, my skin gets dry! This is my back-up go-to hand cream. Smells like a refreshing spritzer, small enough to carry in your back pocket, and won’t break the bank!
13. Canon vixia mini camera: my one and only. My most prized camera, fits in any bag, comes with me everywhere, and gets the entire room with its fish eye lens! If you’re just starting to video blog, or take any video in any capacity I highly suggest this one. It’s user-friendly, auto focus, auto everything.
14. Mpow blue tooth headphones: teeny tiny, no cords smacking you in the head, and they fold up to be a nice little hand-held accessory (perfect for the gym!).
15. Josie Maran argan oil: not only do my face and hands get dry while traveling but so does my hair! What do they put in those airplanes?! So I always carry an oil of some sort with me. I’ve recently been loving this argan oil, it’s great for your hair, skin, and nails!
And not numbered in the photo are the little trinkets that are still a part of my must have items, they’re just more commonly found. These ear plugs are everything. You can find them anywhere and they will actually allow. you. to. sleep. Hallelu!!!
Hand sanitizer is a must, especially for this germaphobe *raises both hands* so I make sure to always have with me a travel sized hand sanitizer and this one smells like a vacation.
And last but definitely not least is my lip balm. All 587 of them! Of the seven I usually carry with me, this Smith’s rose minted balm is one of my most coveted! It comes in a tube so you don’t have to stick your fingers into a tub *where are my fellow germaphobes at?* It’s silky, hydrating, and smells like a tropical breeze.
Whew! There you have it! My top 15 products, each of these things I actually carry with me in my carry on. Call me crazy or call me genius, but if you ever need a shoe shiner . . . I’m looking out!
Okay okay now on to the world’s coolest giveaway! Not only are we doing a tour of the Tula headquarters but 7 of you lucky lil honey bees are going to win some of these amazing Tula products! I’ve tried each and every one of them and I’m so excited for you have them too!
Pictured are the goodies you’ll be entering to win, the purifying face cleanser, revitalizing eye cream, illuminating face serum, hydrating day and night cream, advanced neck cream, and the exfoliating treatment mask! If I had to choose a favorite I wouldn’t be able to, they’re all so beneficial! I have a post on Tula explaining my deep love for their products here, and to enter to win one of these prizes simply leave me a comment below telling me where you’re from and what product you’d be most excited to receive! You can also TAG me on Twitter or Instagram sharing your answers with me over there and you’ll be entered to win that way too! I’ll announce the winners next Monday July 6th here on my blog and in a video!
Good luck, enjoy your week, have a happy and safe Independence Day! Let us know what your plans are and we’re so excited to share our week’s adventures with you all so stay tuned for all the happenings!
Coola- the best all natural mineral SPF for your skin, your lips, AND it’s free of all the bad stuff! It smells like heaven and feels like silk! A straw hat is any summertime outfit’s best accessory! Versatile and functional, it’ll keep the sun out of your eyes and crows feet at bay! A sexy bathing suit cover up, perfect from taking your tush from the sand to a nice sit down dinner! A tote worthy of your affection, you’ll keep this bag from season to season! It’s simple and timeless! Sun Bum is my go-to for ‘after sun’ hair and body care! A 3 in 1 leave in conditioner that you can comb through your hair right from your beach towel, and a nice hydrating lotion to nourish your sunkissed skin! Your flip flops just got an upgrade with these Nefeli slip ons, they’re casual enough for poolside lounging and cute enough to take out after! And taking home the beach sans the sand, this Bobbi Brown ‘Beach’ body oil smells like summer and will instantly transport you away to a sunny spot on a sandy beach! The formula absorbs quickly and the scent ligers nicely with it’s notes of sand jasmine and mandarin!
We stayed at the Pavilion, just a five minute walk from the pier and a hop and a skip away from the beach front restaurants and sand! P.S. They have the world’s best continental breakfast complete with the usual suspects from brekky and an assortment of fruit, pastries, and the best lattes!
Men love taking selfies with us and FOR us, just about as much as they like talking about how AWESOME our love fern/bonsai gift was! Why not at least let him capture the moments HE loves, in style! Gift him with a 
