Hair Rescue- anytime anywhere!

Thursday, December 20, 2018





We absolutely love traveling and I feel I’ve learned to pack what I really need. I’m all about minimalism….but I’m bringing my haircare products with me!

I’ve realized that the products at hotels are simply horrible They don’t cater to my hair’s needs; and when I use them, my hair feels dry and extra frizzy.

So..YES, I bring my Pantene Daily Moisture Renewal Shampoo with me ( I make sure to add tape to the lid because we all know that airlines don’t take much care of luggage). And now, I’m even more excited to take the new Pantene Pro-V Intense Rescue Shots anywhere with me!

So let me tell you all about them because I am obsessed!
The Pantene Pro-V Intense Rescue Shots come in a single-dose tube and they contain a blend of Pro-Vitamin B5, strengthening lipids, and natural glycerin to repair damaged hair and give it the resilience it needs to endure all the styling we do to it. Unlike other hair masks that weigh down hair, the lipids absorb into the hair instead of heavy coating it! 

In simpler words, this is the secret to great hair imported from BRAZIL!

HOW-TO-USE
-Start with a shampoo that works for your hair type and needs. My hair is very dry; so, the Pantene Daily Moisture Renewal Shampoo helps lock in moisture from root to tip.
- Use the Intense Rescue Shots instead of your normal conditioner once a week. 
- While in-shower, apply the single-dose tube generously from root to tip. Focus on any areas that might need extra love! 
-Leave in for 30 seconds.
- Rinse for 30 seconds. Make sure not to over-rinse!





And that’s it! It doesn’t get any simpler than this. You don’t have to get out of the shower to put the hair-mask, wait 15 minutes and get back in the shower!  It saves time while feeling like a salon-like treatment. My hair felt instantly softer and shiny.


The new Pantene Pro-V Intense Rescue Shots will hit shelves in the U.S in January 2019! However, you can get your hands on this exclusive product at Walmart.com right now – see here! Get ready and tag me showing off your beautiful hair as soon as you try them!!








*Sponsored by Pantene. All opinions are my own.

Exploring Miami Art Week…with Uber

Saturday, December 15, 2018



Sponsored by Uber. All opinions are m y own.



We have been traveling a bit the past few months, but we came back just in time for Miami Art Week.

So let’s start with this:


WHAT’S MIAMI ART WEEK?
Every December, Miami becomes the center of attention in the art world. The city hosts over 20 art fairs, 1,200 galleries and thousands of artists.  This means the city attracts art collectors, buyers, art lovers, tourists, celebrities, and more.

I’ve been living in Miami for over 12 years and it’s amazing to see how this event continues to grow and grow. It really shows that Miami is more than beautiful beaches and 80s movies.

During this week, the city is absolutely packed- and everyone. There are so many events going that it can be absolutely hectic to head to one gallery to the other. There’s also no parking ANYWHERE. So enter: Uber to the rescue.

This year, Uber set up sculptures by Emil Alzalmora not only as convenient pick-up and drop-off points around the city but also at the right, popular, chic spots. This made extremely easy to get around thanks to Uber’s flexible options.




But since we are talking art, let’s also talk about these sculptures. Emil shared that the sculptures not just reference the literal act of movement but represent motion as a metaphor relating to human progress and growth.

Since we were riding with the carseat/stroller (it’s a two-in-one, stay tune for the review fellow mommies) , we requested an uberXL (give me all the extra space with a baby!)….and we got ready to explore a few exhibitions around Wynwood.

Wynwood is one of my favorite places in Miami. It’s a bit of our backyard, so Miami Art Week is very exciting because it’s the time where a lot of walls change and the vibe is even more special. Walking around,  we found an interactive gallery with a ball pit and artsy swings - perfect for Nico (and the artist was there SO excited to see people enjoying his art). See? It can be very kid-friendly too. There’s absolutely something for everybody.













#DoorsAreAlwaysOpening


Have you been to Miami Art Week?

10 MATERNITY CLOTHES ESSENTIALS

Thursday, December 13, 2018



My baby is over 6 months and this post has been in my drafts for...well, over 6 months haha.
But no more excuses, let's do this!

I don't believe you should get a lot of maternity clothes. But  at the same time, I know you want to look cute and show off your growing bump while feeling comfortable.

My main issue with maternity clothes is that they fit RIGHT by the third trimester.  I personally love dressing in flowy things, so I had a lot of dresses and tees that worked until the end.  So let me share a few of the pieces I got that I loved and wore throughout my pregnancy.




1) Maternity jeans
Ok, I recommend getting two styles of maternity jeans depending on your style. It can be a pair of black skinny jeans + a pair of boyfriend jeans. I also ended up getting a pair of flared maternity jeans that I loved. You will find pairs with the elastic waistband and some without it. I think it's a personal choice, try them on and see what feels more comfortable.
Maternity jeans styles: Flared, skinny and boyfriend (from left to right).





2) Maternity leggings
I don't seem to have pictures of me wearing my maternity black leggings but they were a lifesaver for every day wear- like at home doing jigsaw puzzles while waiting for baby.  However, I also got this fun pair of plaid leggings that were as comfortable as regular leggings but they also made me feel chic and fashionable.






3)Maternity LBD
Oh YES! A little black dress is just a must-have in regular clothes as in maternity life.  You can dress it up and down. Wear it with a hat during the summer; or add tights and a jacket for the colder days. You can add a statement necklace and cute heels for a date night or a jean jacket to do errands. I wore this dress like crazy, specially when I didn't know what to wear.




4) Fun floral dress
I love a good floral dress, specially because I was in my third trimester during Spring. This dress was also one of my favorites. I wore it with leather jackets, jean jackets, by itself. It was such a fun dress and I always got compliments.




5) Another fun print dress
I've always love polka dots and they were a huge hit the season I was pregnant. Go for your favorite print: plaid, stripes, dots... With this dress, you are definitely building a cute maternity capsule wardrobe. And same, wear it with jackets, with sneakers, boots, heels...it works with anything!






6) Cute message tee
I love rocker tees and tees with messages. I saw a lot of "preggers" that were adorable but this one that said "Le Bump" stole  my heart. I also got a few tees in the plus size section of department stores...or even men's shirts work!


7) Swimsuit
I guess this is more for summer babies...but if you live in a warm-weather city like Miami it is a must. I wore a few of my bathing suits until the third trimester, but I loved sporting one that showed off my belly as it was designed for it!


8) Stretchy body-con dresses
I'm not a big fan of body-con dresses- not pregnant and not when I was super "fit". I just don't feel comfortable BUT they are the best way to show off your bump. This is the only body con stretchy dress I had and I wore it a few times. For these types of dresses to be very flattering, you should add another layer ( a jacket or a cardigan)...it ends up a classic "Kardashian pregnancy style" but I get why they do it: it's sexy, shows off the bump, and fun.

I chose this dress for our maternity shot because I felt it was the piece in my closet that REALLY showed the bump. Now looking back, I wish I would have worn more dresses like this one. It's true that it's nice to look back and be reminiscent.




9) Comfy Pjs
If there is anything I used like crazy during my pregnancy was a pair of PJs I got that said "Preggasaurius" and they had little dinosaurs on it. It was the PJ that I used in so many of my bump selfies.  You'll spend a lot of time in PJs napping (well, I did and you should too)



10) A dressier dress
This could be the dress for your BABY SHOWER or for any special event. But definitely plan to get one beforehand so you are not running around trying to find a cute maternity dress for an unexpected dressy event.


 WHAT DID I MISS? Let me know in the comments.

HOLIDAY PJS: MATCHING WITH THE FAMILY

Wednesday, December 12, 2018

This Holiday is more special than ever, it's Nico's first Christmas!!!! 

..and it was finally time to decorate the apartment in MATCHING PJs while listening to our favorite Christmas music. These Holiday PJs from HappyHannas are adorable, and I love that Chiki has one too...because he’ll always be a big part of this little family.

 Can't wait to make this a Holiday tradition and make my boys dress up with me every year!

___________________________________________


Esta Navidad va a ser más especial que nunca porque es la primera de Nico. 
...finalmente nos pusimos a decorar el apartamento combinados con las mismas pijamas mientras escuchábamos canciones navideñas. Estas PJ son de @HappyHannas, y me encantaron😍😍 (aparte que también tienen para perritos...y ustedes saben que sin Chiki, la familia no está completa). Definitivamente de ahora en adelante esta va a ser parte de nuestra tradición, y obligar a mis boys a combinarse conmigo todos los años!🤣🤣😍😍

BUSINESS OF BLOGGING: Behind the Scenes of a Beauty Campaign

Tuesday, December 11, 2018


I love sharing "Behind The Scenes" posts because you get to see a little bit of what goes behind a"the life of a blogger". Here are the official pictures that were published but I want to tell you ALL about it.

In April, I was reached out for a perfume campaign that would go live during "Mother's Day".  

Before even saying yes, since it had to do with my mom, I texted her and I asked her for her fashion/beauty icons when she was young (without mentioning it was for a campaign). In her top 3, she mentioned was Elizabeth Taylor, so it made sense and I said yes!! For me it's very important to only partner with brands that I truly believe in.

Instead of just taking pictures with the perfume and mention it would be a great gift for Mother's Day, I got immerse in the concept. I saw two Elizabeth Taylor movies, I googled her story and her life.  I was so fascinated by everything: her obsession with jewels, her marriage, her work, the HIV/AIDS foundation, and more.






Before taking the pictures, I watched a several beauty tutorials on how to recreate her look. However, I also wanted to still be a version of ME inspired by HER. Since she loved blue eyeshadow to make her violet eyes pop, I went for a blue eyeliner wing (which she also sported for a while in the 50s). I liked that my makeup was definitely a classic old Hollywood look with a twist. I did my eyebrows a little bolder and more angular than usual. Last touch? Red lips of course!

Let's talk FASHION. I knew I needed a big statement necklace (hey I don't own diamonds, so this was the closest I had). I was inspired by a photo where she is wearing a fur shrug in bed so I added this jacket to recreate the style.



The brand wasn't specific about the content but they wanted different pictures for IG and Facebook and a mix of flat-lays, product shots, and portraits.  I liked this concept because it challenged me to play with the product.

There was also a little "issue". I was 8 months pregnant in April and due anytime in May. Since the focus of the pictures was beauty and the perfume, I didn't want my bump to be distracting somehow. It was so funny to see me trying to hide my bump  (you can see it in the pictures with Chiki, but those were cropped for social media). And with the fur jacket, most of my belly was out, it was hilarious!

But wait, not only I was worried about the bump in the pictures...I was worried that I would have to post them after giving birth since it wouldn't make much sense. Nico waited a few days after Mother's day, so it ended up being perfect timing.





When researching Liz Taylor's like, I saw she absolutely loved maltese dogs- she had several white fluffy pups during her lifetime.  I Instantly thought "Ok, I have to include Chiki in the pictures".

For this second set of pictures, I switched to a blue smoky and more of  pink shimmery lip. I was also inspired by some classic photos of her in a robe...I did my best to recreate how glam she was.



Do you want to see more of what goes behind a campaign?

Let me know!

10 things I learned traveling to NYC with a BABY

Monday, December 10, 2018


First of all, I want to apologize for the lack of posts in the blog. I thought I got the hang of it when Nico was a newborn but as he got older, it definitely became harder to sit down and write. I absolutely love being a mom and the time I am free I've been trying to focus on my husband and friends.

But we just started sleep training and I'm excited to get back here, especially because I have so much to share.

Last month we traveled to NYC with a group of friends and I thought it would be fun to do a "10 things" type of list of all the things I learned in NYC with little baby. Like they say, if you can make it in NYC, you can make it anywhere. This is a specific post for NYC, we have done a few trips by now so I'll be sharing one with all my tips and tricks for general traveling!

So let's get this started:

1) Our stroller is HUGE
I have not even thought of this before this trip, but our stroller is HUGE in comparison to NYC strollers. We would go to parks and our stroller was twice the size of any other out there. 

When we came back to Miami, we got the Doona Stroller/Carseat almost instantly since we want to travel a lot with the baby. Official review of the Doona coming soon- so stay tuned.

2) Our friend's help was crucial
I know we would have made it work without our friends but we were so grateful they were there. Not all subway stops have elevators so going up and down the stairs with the HUGE stroller would have been HARD without the help of our friends. If you are traveling alone (or with your husband), make sure to plan ahead and check which subway stops have elevators.

3) NYC's ubers offer car-seats
Just in case you don't feel like taking your car-seat. You can request an Uber with a carseat. That option isn't available in Miami but it is in NYC. I think it costs an extra $5 per ride- but it's very convenient in case of any emergency. I personally prefer the subway but now you know!





4) Changing tables are hard to find
Most NYC restaurants are tiny and they are in the basement with a tiny staircase that leads to it (aka hard to walk down with a baby)...and changing tables were scarce. The good news, Starbucks have changing tables and there are Starbucks in every corner.  Instead of running around, I knew that Starbucks would be a good option when we needed to change him.


5) Dressing him in layers was tricky.
What if he is too hot? What if he is too cold? 
We live in Miami so the less layers...the better. I tried dressing him in layers that would be easy to take them off when we were indoors or in the subway and then puck back on.

I personally don't know what I would have done with snow, so thankfully we experience semi-cold FALL days (aka delicious days!).




6) Stay Calm
I believe our babies feed of our energy. In NYC or any big city, there will be ambulances, police cars, alarms...these sounds can strike your baby. If you stay calm and act like nothing is happening, I think they won't be scared either. Nico fit right in like a little New Yorker.


7) NYC is very kid-friendly
A lot of people are afraid of traveling to NYC with kids because it is a fast-paced city. But I have to disagree, just like anywhere you can find activities that are kid friendly.
Some examples:
- Central Park (duh!): you can find a zoo, a carrousel, an ice skating rink, playgrounds, and more,
- Head to any museum. Considerations: Children's Museum of Manhattan and the Children's Museum of Arts.




8) The city kept Nico entertained
On the contrary to our trip to California, where we were mostly in a car driving around, Nico was so entertained by everything. The lights, the sounds, the streets, the people...everything was so fun for him.  Walk around, have fun...I'm sure your baby will have fun too!


9) You can find anything in NYC
If you forget anything, there's a pharmacy in every single street. We bought all the diapers and wipes there instead of adding so much bulk to our bags. We also ran out of formula and got that there too. So don't worry so much packing, because if you forget anything...you can get it by walking 3 min...or less!



10) The hotels feel smaller with a baby
We stayed at the Freehand and they don't offer cribs so we ended co-sleeping. I know some hotels offer cribs or pack-and-plays, call before making any reservations. But take into consideration that hotels in NYC are tiny and they feel even smaller with a baby and all the things you have to bring

Here I'm wearing:

ZARA camel coat
FOREVER 21 Ramones rocker tee
ZENNIS clear glasses
CLARKS USA black boots