The Travel Beauty Thread

[sister13]

(January 2023) Thought I’d resurrect this thread, now that there’s a bit more possibility of travel these days! I would love to live vicariously and learn from fellow BICers, so please post any tips, pics, and/or your fave travel minis or routine!  I’m still not doing a lot of travel these days, but may post some pics and notes from past trips.  💗💗💗

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Since the old travel thread sadly got lost in the switchover (😢😢😢) it was suggested a while back, and I’ve been meaning to get a new one started. If there is one already for this, let me know. I travel a bit for work and for fun, and I love checking out beauty stores and seeking out exclusive or hard-to-find items in different places around the world. Some of my favorite makeup destinations have been the Face Powder and Perfume Museum in Torino, Italy (a surprise find) and the Les Merveilleuses Laduree in Tokyo. I have relied on great tips from other BT/BICers on many of my trips, especially Toronto and Tokyo, so I would love to keep this updated as a resource for BIC.

Please share your discoveries, store reviews, pictures, purchases, and travel tips, and I’ll try to keep and update summaries here in the main post for future reference. If you don’t have a chance for much travel, feel free to share your favorite beauty destinations in your home city. I plan to update with photos below from various trips as I have the chance to organize my archives and update. What do you guys think? Feel free to make suggestions on how to organize this thread, too, it might be a bit of a work in progress. Thanks and happy travels BT/BIC!

[sister13]

Thanks, it’s nostalgic (and a bit emotional) to be home in the spring since I lost my mom and our elderly cousin in the last few years, so we realized this was the first trip home where we didn’t have to be in hospitals or clean out houses. 😥😥 It was busy but nice to catch up with some people I don’t see as often as I’d like! As for Sephora visits, I love getting to other stores and it  was during the Sephora sale week, so I couldn’t have all those packages arrive while I was gone, lol. Also, advantage of no tax in Delaware! @Sunnysmom 

[Sunnysmom]

I’m glad you found some happy times in there @sister13 I’m so so sorry for you. I get it. I’m sorry you’re in this club too. 😢 A bit of shopping can always be comforting! 🥰

[sister13]

Thank you for your kind words!! I’m so sorry for you too! It’s a part of life but never easy. ((Hugs)) @Sunnysmom 

[blackkitty2014]

Oh thx for sharing @sister13. I love the flower pictures 🌹❤️🥰

[sister13]

Thanks @blackkitty2014 it really is so pretty on the east coast in spring! 

[Titian06]

Thanks for the great flower pics, @sister13 !  The bridge collapse is so tragic!  I'm glad you were able to get out and about even if it was quick and meet your cousin for dinner as well. 🙂

[sister13]

Thanks, I know, the bridge! It was so weird to see in person. Though from a distance after seeing all the footage. It was nice to be hi,e this time of year. I also got to meet my cousin”s two Maine Coons, they were great! @Titian06 

[Titian06]

Ooooo, kitties, @sister13 !  That had to be the highlight of your trip! 🤣

[sister13]

I also forgot to mention: these new Les Extraits had just arrived that day. They are single note, highly concentrated fragrances using Maison Guerlain’s top signature materials, Iris, Vanilla, Tonka, Jasmine, Bergamot and Rose. They are meant to be worn alone or layered. Pricy at $630 for 50 ml! You can customize the cap, cord and seal for these too. My favorites were the Tonka, Jasmine and Vanilla. 

 

From the Guerlain website:

 

 

[CorgiMommy]

@sister13 enjoy, wish we could smell them through the app.

[sister13]

I’m late replying but yes, smell-o-nternet should really be a thing, these were so good! @CorgiMommy 

[sister13]

(I always forget how badly Sephora degrades the pictures. If you click on then, you can see more clearly.)  

I had a conference in Vegas and my husband got his tattoo finished. I made it to the Guerlain boutique which is inside the Bellagio, so I got to see the Bellagio Conservatory and Botanic Gardens display, which was so incredible. It was Fall themed with real flowers and gorgeous fairies and glittery pumpkins and oh it’s with smoke coming out. Just super adorable and magical and smelled so amazing! 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Anyway, on to the Guerlain boutique! Also Heavenly! I ended up getting a bottle of Angelique Noire, which I have been wanting for a couple years since that is only the 2nd  perfume i have ever finished an entire bottle of! I was really wanting to try the new Tobacco Honey and it was tempting but Angelique Noire remained irresistible!

 

 

 

 

 

 

They don’t do engraving there but you do get to customize your bottle with a cap, cord and seal. I chose the new cap with a gold and silver flecked too, pink cord with gold seal. It’s so good, I’ve been wearing it every day. They also gave me a bunch of samples and shipped the bottle home  for free so I didn’t have to worry about packing it. The salespeople were both really lovely and so knowledgeable with the best descriptions of all the fragrances which I wish I could remember! 

We also went to Din Tai Fung for soup dumplings. I had DTF for the first time several years ago in Hong Kong with a friend from college, so I must go to Din Tai Fung if I I’m in a city with a location. So far, I’ve been to DTF in HK, Singapore and Las Vegas. We had the xiao long nap (soup dumplings), spicy wontons, and fried rice and the bok choy are delectable. I also had a perfect boba tea! 

 

I almost forgot to mention that I was so sad to see that my very favorite Sephora in the world closed, which was the one outside of Venetian. It was such a lovely store with so many brands and the best natural light for testing and searching. Actually, someone I talked to said their rent was astronomical and they never usually made enough to cover how expensive it was. But, that was really sad to see! 

[curlychiquita]

Beautiful pictures, @sister13! I haven't been to Vegas, I should go just for the shopping! The Guerlain boutique looks amazing. I'm glad you found a scent you love!

[sister13]

Definitely amazing shopping! And tax tree, so it can be worth it for higher ticket items. They have all the designer boutiques! @curlychiquita 

[Luvstravel]

Gorgeous pics @sister13 That would have been truly amazing to see in person. I hate to hear your favorite Sephora store closed. I have to drive an hour just to browse one that is in a Kohls store when it used to be a stand alone Sephora. I guess times are changing. 

[sister13]

Yes, there are still plenty of Sephoras in Vegas but not as convenient. We have stayed at Venetian a few times and it was so easy to pop over and play with all the makeup! And it was in such a pretty building designed to look old Italian/European!

I am extremely fortunate where I live, there are lots of Sephoras around between 5-30 minutes away.  @Luvstravel 

[CorgiMommy]

@sister13 pretty cool, enjoy your goodies

[sister13]

Thanks! @CorgiMommy 

[makeitup305]

@sister13 #That Bellagio setting is so dreamy and ethereal, I love it. Enjoy your Guerlain goodies !

[sister13]

Thanks! I didn’t realize the mushrooms were decorated with real flowers, it was all a work of art, a fairy woodsy wonderland! @makeitup305 

[sister13]

I was just reading back through this thread and wanted to share some pics and tips for @Luvstravel since you are headed to Austria! I am so excited for you! Are you going to be in Vienna/Wien? I was there in 2016 in early December and it was truly magical! I love Vienna in summer too, but the markets were amazing! I think my very favorite was the Christkindlmarkt am Rathausplatz (City Hall). They had a skating rink and arts and crafts, and wonderful food and beer and Glühwein! I’m pretty sure this one was where I got most of the Christmas presents and the most amazing wool hat that I’ve treasured ever since! 

If you are going elsewhere in Austria, some of the below will apply, but I was only in Vienna at Christmas time, and for a work conference, so I didn’t have tons of time! 

However, I also highly recommend getting out to the Schönbrunn Palace and gardens and they had a great market too! This is wool hat, enjoying a Glühwein!

For beauty, keep an eye out for Nagele & Strubell, Marionnaud and Douglas. There was another amazing perfume shop, I usually take pics of the signs so I can find the, again, but those pics are missing, but I think it was down near the Nagele & Strubell and the other beauty shops in one of the main shopping areas in the Altstadt. 

Bring warm stuff, or plan to buy some at the markets! Have the best time and I can’t wait to see pics! I’m so hoping to get to Budapest someday! 

FOOD YOU MUST EAT!

For food at the markets, everyone mostly just stands around tables together. You must get the following: Käsespätzle (Spätzle with cheese, OMG it’s so good!), Raclette if they have it, Würstl (sausages) and/or Currywurst! “Mit Senf” is with mustard if you like mustard. And Kartoffelsalat (potato salad). Glühwein is sweet spiced wine, warmed. Usually, you’ll give a deposit for the mugs and if you return the mug, you get your money back. 

I’m definitely missing some pics from this trip, my stupid iCloud got split into two somehow. But at least I found a few. Oh, and I’m still mad at myself for not buying a Dirndl!! Just note, the real Dirndl shops can be sensitive to tourists wanting to try on just for pics and not serious about buying!