4 Best Products for Looking Glamorous On Vacation

It's only been a few weeks since I came back from Puerto Rico, but I'm already daydreaming about where I'll go next. One problem with traveling is trying to reconcile the hyper-romantic image I have in my head of looking like a celebrity jetsetting around the globe in style with... y'know, reality.

All things considered though, the majority of my trip I felt satisfactorily glamorous without sacrificing too much comfort or practicality and it's all thanks to these few items I was savvy enough to bring with me. Take a look at what I couldn't have lived without on my vacation and let me know what you always pack for your trips!

1. A Big, Beautiful Bag

One of my most vivid memories of traveling as a child with my grandma was her giant blue totebag that she'd bring on the plane with her. As a kid, it seemed like that bag had everything you could possibly ever need on a trip; ways to keep me entertained, snacks, extra batteries, whatever I needed was loaded into that ugly wind-breaker material tote bag. For some reason I specifically remember finding a banana at the bottom during a long flight and being the happiest kid in the world.

I wanted to hold onto that feeling of being prepared for anything by getting my own huge bag, just a more stylish one. I found the perfect bag at Aldo. It's deceptively roomy, with a main storage area, a zipper pocket inside, cell phone pocket, and then two zipper compartments on the front and back which were perfect for keeping my magazines and electronics stored separately. The coral color was gorgeous in the tropical weather, and the damned thing took one Hell of a beating being dragged all across Puerto Rico with me but it's still holding up great! I cannot gush enough about how much I love this bag.

2. Blister Relief

I bought Dr. Scholl's Rub Relief Stick on a whim while doing some last minute shopping shopping before the big day. At only about $6 and knowing I was bringing a few pairs of shoes with me that had yet to be broken in, I figured it wouldn't hurt to give it a try.

I'm so glad I took the risk, because I don't want to imagine what my trip to Puerto Rico would have been like without this! I was able to wear a pair of brand new, strappy wedges for hours a time. The key with this product is to put it on before anything starts to hurt, though. I just put on my shoes, took a few steps around with them to figure out where the problem spots were going to be, applied the product where needed and I was A-okay -- no ugly sneakers for me. Definitely don't go sight seeing without this one!

3. Waterproof Mascara

The thing about going on a tropical vacation is the opportunity to go swimming could present itself at any minute and chances are you're not going to want to pass it up. Unfortunately, impromptu dips in the pool are out of the question if you did your makeup earlier and want to avoid looking like you walked off the set of The Crow.

Normally when I go on vacation I keep my makeup pretty minimal. I don't want to waste too much time getting ready in the morning, and mascara is one of those products that can instantly make you like 5 times better so I keep it as one of my morning routine priorities. Getting your favorite in waterproof or water resistant is a great compromise while on vacation. My personal favorite is Covergirl's Clump Crusher, I wore it every day of my trip (even when snorkeling!) and never had a problem.

4. Tinted Moisturizer

On the topic of keeping makeup simple, my second priority after mascara is foundation. Out in the sun, I don't want anything that's going to be heavy or feel sticky so a tinted moisturizer with SPF is a fantastic way to get a little extra coverage.

I got a sample of  this Laura Mercier tinted moisturizer on my last trip to Sephora. The small sample size was perfect for travel and the coverage was better than I expected from a tinted moisturizer and I felt like it layered well with sunblock.

What are your secrets for looking fabulous while traveling? Tell me in the comments! 

Pictures from Puerto Rico

Hey everyone! I got back from Puerto Rico on Friday, but I had to work the rest of the weekend so I took a couple more days off. Big thanks to Willow of Willow's World for contributing a guest post while I was gone!

This also happens to be Rhinestone Religion's 100th post, so take a quick second to give me a little clap and a "yay!" Anyway, I thought I'd share a couple of my favorite pictures from the trip to get back into the swing of things. Enjoy!

Monday

Unfortunately, things didn't really go as planned for us on Monday. We had wanted to take the ferry to Culebra island, but it was full so we went to Vieques instead. Then, it started to rain and the waves were choppy so we weren't able to go snorkeling like we had intended. We walked up and down the beach though, and ate at a local restaurant and bar and just enjoyed the warm weather and relaxing atmosphere. 

Candid picture of me eating. Cute, right? /sarcasm

I do however, find this picture of my boyfriend eating to be the cutest thing ever. 

We also weren't able to do the Bioluminescent Bay tour, which is one of the big attractions in Puerto Rico. The bay on the main island was booked up through the week, and we couldn't stay until dark on Vieques because the ferry back left at 6PM -- Oh well, I guess it's just an excuse to go back! 

Tuesday

Tuesday we took a snorkeling trip with East Wind Excursions. I didn't get too many pictures from the actual trip since we were mostly in the water. I was a little disappointed with it to be honest, it was sold as a snorkeling trip but we were only able to go for about 30 minutes before getting called back to the boat for lunch and heading off to another beach where there weren't any reefs to snorkel in. We basically went on a very long beach trip on a small island. Even when things weren't going as planned though, I tried to remind myself "At least I'm in Puerto Rico." 

Wednesday

Thankfully things started to go more smoothly towards the end of the trip! Wednesday we went to Old San Juan, a more historic area of Puerto Rico. The streets were narrow, hilly and cobblestone and the houses all packed together. It definitely had a little bit of a European feel to it. 

Most of the day was spent exploring Castillo de San Cristobal, one of Old San Juan's two fortresses. Historic sites are some of my favorite places to visit when I travel, even if it does get a little tourist-y. It's so cool to think about how many people have been where you're standing and how long ago. And it being a fortress, thinking about how many people have died right there. 

These turrets are a pretty iconic image in Puerto Rico, an image just like this is on the license plates!

Also, there are iguanas everywhere. I took a picture pretty much every time we encountered one because the only time I ever see them is in the Zoo. In Puerto Rico, they're like squirrels. The one above is my favorite of my many iguana snaps though, look how majestic that little guy looks!

Second favorite is definitely this next one of this huge sucker we saw by the hotel pool.

I really wanted to wear my new dress that I wore from my last outfit post to Puerto Rico. I didn't realize how windy it was going to be and I had more than one incident where I had to quickly flatten my skirt down to avoid flashing the entirety of Old San Juan my pink lace underwear! Thankfully the boyfriend did a pretty good job of keeping an eye on it for me.

Thursday

Friday we drove to El Yunque rain forest, the only tropical rain forest in the United States. It was absolutely gorgeous, though we only had time to drive through most of it and stop at the landmarks instead of hiking a trail.

Later, we took a second snorkeling trip off of Vieques with much better results. We were able to go for a couple of hours. My boyfriend saw a sea turtle, sting rays and a barracuda, but I wasn't in the right spot at the right time. On the boat ride back to the main island though, we saw a whale come to the surface which was really neat. 

La Coca Falls

Even though the trip wasn't without its frustrations (what vacation isn't?) it was such a fun way to spend my Spring Break and I can't wait to do more traveling. 

I think my Spring Break was earlier than most people's but did you or are you planning on going anywhere for yours? Tell me in the comments! 

December Activity Ideas

As much as I can't stand the cold, I love the warm-fuzzy feeling of the Holiday season. There's nothing better than coming in from the cold to a cup of hot cocoa and soft glowing lights. Though honestly I'd be more than happy to skip over the majority of the Winter months, December is one of the few that I actually look forward to. Here are some ideas for ways you can enjoy your December to the fullest!

♥ Decorate for the Holidays. It doesn't matter what you celebrate, adding lights and a few decorations makes your place feel cozy.
♥ Bake cookies, pastries or other kinds of sweets. Share them with friends!
♥ Make sure your closet is prepared for winter (coats, hats, boots, etc.) Go buy anything you're missing right away, before you get caught without it.
♥ Paint your nails something sparkly. Last year I used some blue and silver nailpolish that reminded me of snow for my Winter manicure!
♥ On that note, store anything that is strictly out of season like breezy summer dresses and sandals. Basically anything you know you won't need for a while, it'll free up space in your closet and you'll know exactly what you have to work with when getting dressed in the morning.
♥ Get a cute welcome mat for your front door to save your carpet from slush.
♥ If you don't know already, December 21st is allegedly the Mayan Apocalypse  The only correct way to handle this is to plan an End of the World party, of course. My friends and I already have one in the works.
♥ But just in case the world doesn't end, start planning your gift list...
♥ ...and wish list!
♥ Send greeting cards to anyone you can't afford to buy presents for, but who you want to show your appreciation toward.
♥ Do some hunting for cold Winter night reading material. If you have a fireplace, you are required to read in front of it. No excuses.
♥ Volunteer your time or donate to a cause you believe in.
♥ Once there's snow on the ground, get your friends together and build a snowman or go sledding.
♥ Afterwards, watch cheesy Christmas/Holiday movies. Olive the Other Reindeer is one of my favorites.
♥ Check out your local light displays. In Milwaukee, there's a neighborhood called Candy Cane Lane that collectively goes all-out on their displays to raise money for the MACC Fund. I visit with my family every year!

What's your favorite way to have fun in December? Tell me in the comments! 

October Activity Ideas

It's a little over a week into October and the romanticism of Fall hasn't worn off for me yet. This is probably one of my favorite months just for the pumpkin spice lattes, Halloween party-planning and the warm fuzzy feeling of a thick sweater. I'd thought I would share some of my ideas for getting into the spirit of the season.

Get Creative With Pumpkins

If you're more of a traditionalist you could certainly go with the tried and true carving, but there are tons of other awesome things you can do with pumpkins to decorate for October. I bought a couple of mini-pumpkins for $1 each at the grocery store and painted them to match my room's color scheme. Check out Pinterest for more ideas. Here are a couple boards I like to get you started: {1, 2, 3, 4}

{Pcture of my pumpkins via Instagram}

Visit a Haunted House

Halloween is obviously the best holiday (if you think otherwise, you're dong it wrong) and half the fun of Halloween is getting scared. I went to The Burial Chamber in Neenah with my friends last weekend. Keep in mind that it's more fun if you get into it, no one likes the guy who tries to act all cool by not being scared! 

Make a DIY Halloween Costume

It's always way more impressive to make your own costume than to buy a prepackaged sexy what-have-you to toss on the night of. That isn't to say you can't be sexy on Halloween, go for it! Just that it's even sexier when you made it on your own, plus it's a great conversation topic at parties. 

Fill Holes in Your Fall/Winter Wardrobe  

Every year I inevitably find myself missing  something that would have made the transition to cooler (and eventually freezing) weather much easier. This morning for example, I realized how much I would like to own a nice pair of thick knit socks. Now is the time to start shopping for those missing pieces (think scarves, boots, leggings, mittens, etc.) so that you're not without when the weather starts to really get cold.

Decorate with Candles

Candles no longer being considered contraband is one of my favorite things about escaping dorm life and I've gone a little bit crazy with them in my apartment. I usually unwind at night by lighting a few pumpkin spice candles and sipping a cup of chai tea, very cozy!

{Pumpkin spice candles via Instagram}

Read a Book Under a Tree

Enjoy the outdoors for a little while before it becomes too cold (I live in Wisconsin, this will be any day now.) On a warmer day, go outside and curl up under a tree on a pile of leaves, maybe even drink some tea. Take in the gorgeous colors and crisp feeling of Fall while you still can!

Do you have any other ideas for fun things to do in October? Tell me in the comments!