miami – Miss Giselle

Daycation: Miami

Miami is the party capital of Florida and last weekend we explored it just a little bit more. I’ve never been big on birthdays but this weekend I wanted to celebrate a little extra for my birthday. Instead of completely going away for the weekend, which can get expensive, we decided to get a day pass to a resort in Miami Beach. I had never done this before but let me tell you it was amazing!

What is a day pass?

Pretty much you can do exactly what you would if you rented a room, but you’re only there until a certain time. You have access to the pool, hot tub, spa, etc. You can rent the cabanas, go in the pool, visit the bar, and at the end of the day you get to go home. The best is that you can get a day pass at a hotel you other wise wouldn’t be able to afford. I’m talking luxury hotels and beaches. It definitely a win in my book.

The Confidante

We stayed in Miami Beach for the day because we wanted something local. Personally I had never heard of the hotel but man is it beautiful. The service was amazing, the drinks were great, and the pool was awesome. It definitely isn’t a “party hotel” but if you wanna lay back and relax this is the place for you. It’snot huge, but definitely big enough. Anther thing I loved about it was the beach access. They offered complimentary towels, beach chairs, and umbrellas. They had a private beach access so it felt more exclusive and luxurious. Another plus for me was definitely the Adult Pool and Family Pool separation. There was no splashing, kids running around, etc. on the adult side and it made for a more relaxed experience. I love kids but when you’re trying to relax it helps a lot!

Food

The food was amazing! It was a little pricey and we did have to pay for that it wasn’t included of course. I had the shrimp tacos (pictured here) and my boyfriend had a hot dog. One thing that is definitely a must have is the waffle fries! In my opinion, they’re better than Chick-Fil-A (which says a lot lol). We didn’t have to wait too long for our food which was great. Overall, even with the price, the food was pretty good and it looked appealing which is a major plus!

Drinks

The first drink we had was a Painkiller (on the right) and boy was it strong. A painkiller consists of dark rum, cream of coconut, pineapple juice, orange juice, and cinnamon. It wasn’t bad if you like strong drinks, but if not stay clear of this one. They garnished it with a whole cinnamon stick which added a lot of cinnamon which I love! It almost made up for the intense alcohol taste.

The next drink we both had was your standard Pina Colada . It was really good! Not too strong but I could still taste the alcohol. It was pretty refreshing for a day at the pool. That was pretty much all I drank for the rest of the day but I was loving them!

Our experience at the bar was lovely. The bartender was so nice and all the waitresses were helpful and kept coming by to check up on us!

If you’re looking for a hotel in Miami Beach, I definitely recommend this place. Whether it be for a day pass or a whole weekend they will definitely accommodate all your needs! Next time I definitely want to check out that spa! I heard such great things about it from the employees and also from other guests staying on the property. We had a great time and will definitely be coming back!

Summer Sunburn Remedies

It’s finally that time of year again! Summer and sunshine is back in town and skin care becomes EXTRA important. I am absolutely obsessed with skincare as you guys already know, but sun care is usually lacking a bit for me. I know, I know, sunscreen is super important but with how carefree we are its easy to forget. So, if you’re like me or you just have very sensitive skin, you’ll get a few sunburns here and there. They suck, that’s the truth. They hurt, you’re hot, uncomfortable, and some times this feeling could last for days. I have a few tricks up my sleeve to make this a lot less painful and get rid of that burn in half the time. If you have any other tricks please let me know in the comments. DISCLAIMER: I am not a doctor this is only what works for ME. If allergic to any of these please do not use them.

Apple Cider Vinegar & Coconut Oil

This is always my go to when I get a sunburn. Usually I always have these two on hand which makes it easier. I even bring them on vacation, they’re that good. What happens with the apple cider vinegar is it cools down the skin. So, it removes the heat of the sunburn. Still leaves it a little red but it begins immediately taking away the burn. The coconut oil heals the skin and prevents peeling. My LEAST favorite thing in the world is peeling away my tan. Its gross and makes my tan disappear.

What you need:

Apple Cider Vinegar

Cotton Pads

Coconut oil

Here are the steps I follow:

Grab a few cotton pads and soak them in apple cider vinegar. (The smell wont be pleasant but the results will.
Rub the cotton pads all over your sunburn.
Let it sit for a least 5 minutes.
Hop in the shower. COLD water only. Let it rinse off the smell and then lightly exfoliate your skin.
When you’re done pat the towel over the sunburn. DO NOT RUB. I promise it will hurt.
Warm up the coconut oil between your fingers and spread over the sunburn. Try to rub it in as much as you can.
Let the oil dry and soak up into your skin before you put on clothes.
Do this for the next couple days until the sunburn is gone for best results and little to no peeling.

Drink Water!

Drinking water is extremely important but especially when you have a sunburn! It rehydrates your skin and trust me you need it. You need to rehydrate from the inside out, if not it won’t matter what ointments or treatments you use because you won’t be hydrated enough. Water keeps your skin supple and reduces the inflammation and irritation of your skin.

Wear Loose Clothing

Obviously this won’t make your sunburn completely go away but tight clothing can increase the irritation. It will hurt and burn to even wear tight clothing so it’s better to just stay away from it for a few day. It lets your skin heal itself without further irritating it.

Cold Milk Compress

Trust me when I say that I didn’t think this would work at all, until I tried it. The same way that milk helps when you eat something spicy, it helps your skin when it’s red and burning. Any milk will do just make sure it is chilled. Not only will it feel amazing but the redness will begin to calm down. Soak the compress in cold milk and apply to the sunburn.

What you need:

Milk

Cotton Pads

Aloe Vera

This by no means is anything new and I’m sure you have used this before. Aloe calms and soothes the skin but personally instead of the bottled product I like to use it straight from the leaf. You can buy the whole aloe vera leaf at Publix or Winn Dixie. You can cut it along the side and open up the leaf to get to the product. Applying it straight from there will intensify the healing of our skin.

Latin Music Playlist

It’s no secret that Miami is about 90% Hispanic. Spanish music has always been around and many of us that live in Miami have grown up around it. Honestly, I didn’t use to like it at all. I feel like 2017 & now 2018 there has been such an influx of amazing Spanish artists and newcomers. It’s almost impossible not to listen to it. Many American artists are now collaborating with Spanish artists because they realize the influence it’s having on the music industry. Personally my favorite kind would be called “Spanish Trap”. It involves a lot of hip hop but is also true to the Spanish roots.

I absolutely love Spanish music now & I want to share some of my favorites with you guys. Spanish music has become my go to, in the morning especially. Something about how upbeat and fun it is really wakes me up in the morning.

LISTEN TO THE WHOLE PLAYLIST HERE

Some of my favorite artists include:

J Balvin

Bad Bunny

Maluma

Becky G

Fonseca

& so many more.

My top 10 songs on this playlist are;

Te Mando Flores- Fonseca

Sin Pajama- Becky G & Natti Natasha

Suave- El Alfa

Ahora Me Llama- Karol G & Bad Bunny

La Camisa Negra- Juanes

Échame la Culpa- Luis Fonsi & Demi Lovato

Soy Peor- Bad Bunny

Ojalá- El Negrito, El Lokito, & Manu Manu

Que Nochesita- Lenier

Sola- Becky G

Sunday Routine

Some times Sundays are boring and anxiety ridden as you prepare for the week ahead of you. I want to share with all of you my “Sunday routine”. Sundays are my self-care days, along with getting my shit together honestly. This post is basically what my Sunday consists of when I am not going to a mimosa filled brunch or having a beach day. I think we can all agree that Sundays are one of the best days of the week; even when that Monday anxiety starts creeping up on us. These are the days I give my skin and hair extra pampering. Occasionally I like to take it easy on Sundays, watch Netflix and hangout. I feel this is the day of the weekend where I plan to get the most done and I do pretty much nothing. Yet, I feel the happiest on these days. This post contains affiliate links.

My Sunday mornings usually start by rolling out of bed, making coffee, and then jumping back in and cuddling with my boyfriend. Lately I have been trying to do the Herbalife thing, so I just switch out coffee for my tea. Usually we lounge around for a while, unless we have something planned.

100% I will always use a mask on Sundays. My top 3 that I currently recommend are:

1. Black Charcoal Mask

I always have some kid of charcoal mask on hand and this one is currently my favorite (Berry Moon Black Charcoal Mask). Korean skincare seems to be a new and upcoming favorite for a lot of people and I am definitely into it! They have a lot of amazing ingredients, and most of all usually do not dry out my skin. This particular mask I have been using for about a year and I am still in love with it. When my skin is feeling overworked, tired, and dehydrated I use this mask to suck out all of the impurities in my face. WARNING: This product does make underlying pimples come out, but I love that because completely cleans and removes anything lying under my skin. (Photo; feat. My Boyfriend)

2. Hydrating Sheet Mask

These are my favorite kinds of masks, especially in the morning. When I use these, I know I will be having a great skin day. My recent favorite has been the Neutrogena Hydrogel Facemask. It is not like typical masks that get dry in about 10 minutes, this mask takes about 20 minutes. When I remove the mask my skin feels amazing and hydrated. As if my skin drank a whole glass of water.

3. Bubble Masks

Believe me, I didn’t believe that these would actually work. I was always skeptical about what the bubbles would do, and if it would actually bubble. I can honestly say this is the best one I have found to actually work KBeauty Naturals Bubble Clay Mask. This is another Korean product and its amazing!

As for hair care, I have a few trusted products. My hair is blonde currently & has a lot of damage due to years of bleaching. Usually I do the “normal” steps, but I stopped conditioner and started replacing that with a hair mask every time I wash my hair. I feel like hydration is so important for me and when I do this my hair just feels healthier.

1. Shampoo

My current favorites all include coconut. That is because coconut is ESSENTIAL in hydration. The one I am using right now is OGX Nourishing Coconut Milk Shampoo. Also, for my blonde hair, I have been using the Marc Daniels Purple Shampoo. Purple shampoo cancels out all of the brassiness that can happen in blonde hair. I absolutely LOVE it. The picture on the right shows you exactly what color my hair is right now.

2. Conditioner

I have a few favorite hair masks, which I use in place of conditioner, but the two that stand out the most are L’Oreal Paris Restoring Hair Balm and Schwarzkopf Professional Blondme Keratin Hair Mask. Both of these make my hair go from dry and brittle to soft and smooth. Usually I try not to use too much heat, and I found that when my hair dries natural after I use one of these it makes a significant difference. My hair looks like I blow dried it straight.

Ah binge watching, that is most definitely one of our Sunday hobbies. Currently I am re-watching one of my all time favorites “Grey’s Anatomy”. I am sure you have heard at least one person talk about this show. It is heart-wrenching, emotional, and beautiful all in one. Trust me, if you haven’t seen it please go get a Netflix account and watch ALL of it. Right now. Go. Seriously though, I convinced my boyfriend to start watching and now he’s obsessed. Not to mention, Sundays are the only days we have off together, so we pretty much cuddle and watch grey’s all day.

Another one of our favorites is “Bones”. Luckily, it’s already over so it makes a perfect show to binge watch ALL the seasons. This show is packed with action, murder mysteries, and romance. Definitely in my top ten.

Finally, I try to work on emails and such at least a little bit, just to be ready for Monday. Trust me, I don’t spend more than 15 minutes on this. Some times we all need those self-care kind of days. It is important to focus on yourself some times.

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