DIY Saran Wrap Nails For A Perfect, Easy Miami Mani
Maybe you feel like you have two left hands (or right!) when it comes to experimenting with nail art. Or maybe you just can't come up with weird enough ideas to emblazon on your paws. Never fear, because this simple (and we do mean simple) nail art DIY courtesy of mani maven Get Nailed is a cinch...and perfect for the MIA day-to-day.
By using a peachy orange by OPI ("Bright Lights, Big Color") with a contrasting aqua from Orly (in "Frisky"), Chelsea of Get Nailed painted her nails, let them dry, and then used the saran wrap to literally "sponge" on the top coat for a coral-infused marble effect. The result is perfect for a shopping afternoon in Coral Gables (and will even look smart for a night out) — and can be done by anyone who is capable of painting a solid nail. Let us know if you've tried this clever marble-ing trick: We'd love to see the results!
Photo/Video: Via Get Nailed.
By using a peachy orange by OPI ("Bright Lights, Big Color") with a contrasting aqua from Orly (in "Frisky"), Chelsea of Get Nailed painted her nails, let them dry, and then used the saran wrap to literally "sponge" on the top coat for a coral-infused marble effect. The result is perfect for a shopping afternoon in Coral Gables (and will even look smart for a night out) — and can be done by anyone who is capable of painting a solid nail. Let us know if you've tried this clever marble-ing trick: We'd love to see the results!
Photo/Video: Via Get Nailed.
Beauty Boutique Doubles As Salon For Ultimate NYC-Imported Glamour
Last October, beauty wonderland Brilliance New York opened its flagship location on Lincoln Road, gearing up to be a one-stop shop for all things hair, skin, and makeup. Selling Brilliance New York products, the brand introduced customers to a luxurious, new label of products, including a mineral-infused foundation and a diamond-plated flat iron rumored to make your hair super-sleek and smooth. If you have yet to shop at the Miami Beach location, we now have an even-more enticing reason: Next Wednesday, the boutique launches its first salon, so customers can finally land an all-in-one beauty experience.
The grand-opening event will feature mini-makeovers, beauty tips from celeb stylists, a few raffle wins, cocktails, and hors d'oeuvres from West Avenue Café. Plus, some of our favorite local bloggers will be in attendance (they never miss a beat), including Maria Tettamanti of The Wordy Girl, Ginger Harris of Electric Blogarella, and Kelly Saks of Kelly’s Kloset. We're super-curious about these products (a diamond-plated straightner?!), and this looks like the perfect time to try 'em out. And to make things extra-interesting, we might just show up straight from the beach and see if the stylists are up for a little challenge.
Where: Brilliance New York Boutique + Salon, 631 Lincoln Road; 786-276-6389
When: Wednesday, May 16, 7 to 10 p.m.
Photo: Courtesy of Tara Ink.
3 Mother/Daughter Teams That Inspire Us (And Run Miami Fashion, Too!)
Maybe there's something in the water, but the mother/daughter relationships in Miami are incredibly special. Certainly ladies share deep maternal bonds everywhere, and we aren't suggesting our maternal relationships are any better than those forged in other cities, but Miami is home to a host of ultra-creative mother/daughter teams. From one of our city's most recognizable labels to our go-to accessories haunt, some of the best the 305 has to offer is helmed by incredible moms and their children.
Three local leaders in beauty, fashion, and accessories opened up to us about teaming up with their parent, spilling the ins and outs of mother/daughter entrepreneurship. Not only do such fashionable families make Miami proud, but these stories might provide inspiration for your next big adventure...with your mama by your side, of course.
Photo: Courtesy of Gee Beauty
Three local leaders in beauty, fashion, and accessories opened up to us about teaming up with their parent, spilling the ins and outs of mother/daughter entrepreneurship. Not only do such fashionable families make Miami proud, but these stories might provide inspiration for your next big adventure...with your mama by your side, of course.
Photo: Courtesy of Gee Beauty
The Top 5 Most Luxurious Miami Facials...Plus One You Can DIY!
The heat is on. No, we aren't talking about our boys in black and red (though, they are quite hot these days, too), but literally, the Miami heat. The temps are really rising, bringing muggy days and steamy, steamy nights. Pores are clogged, T-zones shine, and your skin produces enough oil to make BP envious. Never has a facial been more appropriate, and we've got five super luxe treatments — tackling everything from hot temps to anti-aging properties — you've got to try ASAP.
And, if you are feeling particularly enterprising, we've got an added treat: A facial you can DIY in your house, on your own. Facial obsessive Annie Vazquez combined her favorite ingredients for a completely luxurious (and wallet-friendly) gift you can give yourself. Sorry ladies, you are officially out of excuses to put off self-pampering any further.
Click through to check out Miami's five best facials, plus one you can do on your own!
Photo: Courtesy of Bliss Spa
And, if you are feeling particularly enterprising, we've got an added treat: A facial you can DIY in your house, on your own. Facial obsessive Annie Vazquez combined her favorite ingredients for a completely luxurious (and wallet-friendly) gift you can give yourself. Sorry ladies, you are officially out of excuses to put off self-pampering any further.
Click through to check out Miami's five best facials, plus one you can do on your own!
Photo: Courtesy of Bliss Spa
Bobbi Brown Releases A Shimmery, Sun-Kissed Miami Collection
Look, we like when we play muse. It suits Miami well, and we aren't surprised when creatives take our shores as inspiration. So for Bobbi Brown's summery collection, the famed cosmetics brand turned to us for their summer '12 offerings, sending forth a beautiful, sun-kissed selection of shadows, shine, and fragrance. With a heavy helping of coral and plenty of gold-tinged additions, the lipsticks, eye creams, and a revamped "Beach" fragrance, Bobbi Brown explains that, "This collection recreates the fresh, glowing look you get at the beach." (Well, Bobbi means the glow most get at the beach, your author is prone to look more like a crustacean after a day on the sand.)
New shades include different types of gold, like the lighter Candlelight and a metallic Copper. Lip shines are pretty safely in the pink family, even if Peach Sorbet has a tinge of orange, and the line has a couple of limited edition finds like the cheek glow. Check out the Miami Collection (yep it's named after our city) for yourself, and let us know: Did Bobbi Brown nail the city's golden glow?
New shades include different types of gold, like the lighter Candlelight and a metallic Copper. Lip shines are pretty safely in the pink family, even if Peach Sorbet has a tinge of orange, and the line has a couple of limited edition finds like the cheek glow. Check out the Miami Collection (yep it's named after our city) for yourself, and let us know: Did Bobbi Brown nail the city's golden glow?
All You Need To Know About Waterproof Mascara
We’ve all been there. You head to the ladies room after running around in the 90-degree heat and discover, to your horror, you now resemble the face of a late night LIV adventure. Except it’s only 3 p.m. Or worse: Your BFF is finally getting hitched to the man of her dreams and you are a big ole softie who quickly gets raccoon eyes as she walks down the aisle. How to solve this ongoing debacle? Waterproof mascara, of course!
While that seems like a no-brainer, the intricacies of the water-insoluble mascara world are actually quite complex. For instance, waterproof mascara is thicker than the regular stuff, wreaking more havoc on your lashes than water-y eyes do on your ego. So in the middle of wedding, allergy, and swim season we turned to the pros at Bal Harbor's Gee Beauty. Natalie, the expert makeup and skin care partner at one of our favorite shops, gave us the lowdown on waterproof mascara and healthy lashes, all from a convenient Miami perspective. Boat day? Pool party? Gym sesh? Psh, no problem. Get ready to look all sorts of smudge-free and beautiful.
Photographed by Nina Westervelt at Marc Jacobs fall 2012
While that seems like a no-brainer, the intricacies of the water-insoluble mascara world are actually quite complex. For instance, waterproof mascara is thicker than the regular stuff, wreaking more havoc on your lashes than water-y eyes do on your ego. So in the middle of wedding, allergy, and swim season we turned to the pros at Bal Harbor's Gee Beauty. Natalie, the expert makeup and skin care partner at one of our favorite shops, gave us the lowdown on waterproof mascara and healthy lashes, all from a convenient Miami perspective. Boat day? Pool party? Gym sesh? Psh, no problem. Get ready to look all sorts of smudge-free and beautiful.
Photographed by Nina Westervelt at Marc Jacobs fall 2012
These Editor-Approved Bright Lipsticks Get Even Better In The Sun
Bright pouts are major, we know. Creamy corals, punchy pinks, and show-stopping reds are all over, and lipstick, like a fierce mani, is becoming a statement detail. Yet, the runways (like the great Gucci look featured here) and international street style phenoms have forgotten that one little detail us So Flo folk deal with daily: This sun is hot. Not only is it hot, but wearing a matte, opaque color can begin to look a little melty, and a too-solid tone might more Ronald McDonald than rad. So what's a Miami girl to do?
If daring neons and Crayola-hues aren't your thing, each of these lippies comes with a little sheer shine, meaning you can swipe on a quick layer, or apply several times to turn up the volume. Remember, choose the color that you think works best with your skin tone, and for more dramatic daytime looks, pair your lip choice with a matching lip liner. If cool casual is more your thing, you'll want to stick with some slick glosses. With a hint of shine and some serious pigment, click through to see 10 shades that'll pop perfectly, whether the sun is up, down, or somewhere in between.
Photo: MCV Photo
If daring neons and Crayola-hues aren't your thing, each of these lippies comes with a little sheer shine, meaning you can swipe on a quick layer, or apply several times to turn up the volume. Remember, choose the color that you think works best with your skin tone, and for more dramatic daytime looks, pair your lip choice with a matching lip liner. If cool casual is more your thing, you'll want to stick with some slick glosses. With a hint of shine and some serious pigment, click through to see 10 shades that'll pop perfectly, whether the sun is up, down, or somewhere in between.
Photo: MCV Photo
Miami Smells Like Sand And Coffee, Says Perfumer
Whether you’re walking down Ocean Drive with a café con leche on an early morning, laying on the sand down in Crandon Park in the steamy afternoon sun, or dining in Brickell on a cool winter evening, the Magic City certainly yields a number of unique scents. The challenge of all challenges? Capturing the essence of all these smells into one mesmerizing perfume.
Yes, it’s not often you hear of a perfume emulating a city’s scent, but that’s exactly what was asked of master perfumer Rene Morgenthaler by the Scent Marketing Institute when they went to him about making a sensuous creation dedicated to the smells of Miami. According to Ocean Drive, Morgenthaler took on the challenge and spent six months testing thirty different variations of the olfactory awesomness, triggering a number of radiant scents such as jasmine, sun-baked sand, coffee, salty air, Cuban cigars, and orange trees. Just thinking about the combination put us in a daze.
Apparently, fans of "Miami" (the scent, not the city) felt the same when testing the aroma, fully intended as just an air diffuser, and demanded to know where they can purchase their own bottle. We certainly can’t wait to get our noses near this fresh fragrance, not only to smell its irresistibility, but also for the mere fact that it will remind us of all the reasons we love this city. Available at Air Esscentials, 2801 Florida Avenue, 305-446-1670. (Ocean Drive)
Photo: Via Sandandart.com
5 Miami Spa Treatments To Get You So Fresh, So Clean, & So Bikini-Ready
Living in Miami isn't all fun and games — sure we do live in a gorgeous tropical paradise, but we still have high-paced jobs, stress-inducing boyfriends, and tourists running amok. If the recent influx of young, beautiful, and carefree spring-breakers has you longing for a legit vacation of your own, fret not. Forget all the scantily clad co-eds, and remember the 305 is home to some of the most luxurious — and more importantly, serene — spas around. We've broken down the best of the best in terms of rejuvenating treatments, so that you can get right to the pampering and preening, releasing your most bikini-ready self to date. You may not come out looking like an undergrad again, but you'll definitely achieve that much-coveted inner glow thing.
Photo: Courtesy of The Standard
Photo: Courtesy of The Standard
Kitties And Kawaii! Top 5 Places To Score Amazing Nail Art
Nail art is not just a trend anymore. Bedazzling your claws and brightening your tips isn't a "thing" done by aficionados, but is now (like the name implies) an actual art. Like lips, eyes, and hair, the care of your nails has officially taken the center-stage. Long gone are the demure days of french manicures and solid hues. Today, South Florida females are getting more adventurous with their finger nails. From Kawaii (3-D nail art popular in Japanese Harajuku culture) to a Christian Louboutin-inspired mani plus Swarovski bedazzled tips, the options are endless in the 305. So ditch your "red" or "nude" and show some 'tude with one of these five stellar salons. One thing you can bet on is that these label-loving gals create nails as flashy and show-stopping as their cars, pumps and personalities.
Here are our top five Miami salons for head-turning hands. Click through to see five spots to get nailed!
Photo: Courtesy of Midtown Nail Bar
Photo: Courtesy of Midtown Nail Bar
3 Juice Cleanses That Won’t Drive You Bananas
The holidays were months ago, but there are still some gifts we’d like to return. In fact, the average American is still carrying four to six of them (or two to three, if you're metric), somewhere around the waistline. Which might explain why spring is the most popular season for juice cleansing — it's like rinsing your body and giving it a "spring cleaning" of its own.There’s a lot of discussion over the efficacy of a juice cleanse, but that hasn’t stopped millions of folks from turning to a week of bottled produce. Until recently, one result was virtually guaranteed: crankiness. For most folks, a day without solid food is like a day without, well, food. That’s why we checked out these programs, which offer more than just bottles of green and the vague promise of health. We can’t guarantee you’ll turn into Gisele, but you’ll sure be less likely to get in a screaming fight with your roommate’s cat. That’s not a good look on anyone.
Photography by Kelsey Miller
Smell Very Sexy: Meet Erin Heatherton At Victoria's Secret's Perfume Launch
We don’t know about you, but come spring break body training time—ahem, now—we often find ourselves perusing the Victoria’s Secret swimsuit selection online, forming feelings of both guilt and inspiration. Tomorrow, you have the chance to experience these feelings in person with the in-store appearance of VS beauty Erin Heatherton at the Aventura store. Celebrating the launch of the retailer’s newest fragrance, Very Sexy Touch, Heatherton will meet fans, sign perfume bottles, and even snap some photos to get you excited about the sultry new scent. There’s conveniently a “VIP Fast Lane” for all you impatients out there who opt to snag a bottle of the perfume first before gawking over the goddess, who actually was discovered by VS recruits during a visit to the good ol’ University of Miami. Go Canes!
When: Tuesday, February 28, 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Where: Victoria’s Secret, Aventura Mall, 19501 Biscayne Blvd, Aventura 33180. 305-933-2701.
Photo: Courtesy of Victoria's Secret.
When: Tuesday, February 28, 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Where: Victoria’s Secret, Aventura Mall, 19501 Biscayne Blvd, Aventura 33180. 305-933-2701.
Photo: Courtesy of Victoria's Secret.
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