Miami News Blog

Do you sometimes have to hide your tresses under hats and scarves? Feel like bad hair day is a description of your very existence? 

Luxe hair-care line Kerastase is offering a solution and it's titled one of our fave phrases: Our Treat. Whether your hair is color-treated or sun-damaged, dry or weak, there's a treatment for you. And tomorrow only -- get it, plus a blowout, for the price of none.

 All you have to do is visit their website, print out a coupon, call a participating salon to book your appointment and voila, you'll have flaunt-worthy hair again. And if your frizzied friends have snapped up all of the appointments, don't even think about solving your problem with a razor. The salon at Canyon Ranch is keeping the promotion going throughout the month of May. The catch: you have to pay $40 for the (usually $75) blowout.

With the end of the legislative session in Tallahassee last week, and Charlie Crist widely expected to announce his Senate intention tomorrow the dominoes should quickly fall as down ticket politicos all over the state start positioning themselves for 2010.

So far, Tampa Mayor Pam Iorio, who has been mentioned as a possible democratic candidate for Governor or Senate, has decided to serve out her term. St. Pete's Republican Mayor, Rick Baker, won't be running for anything either.

When Alex Sink, Florida's CFO, previously announced she'd just run for re-election instead of trying for Senate it was assumed it was because her eye was ultimately on the Governor's chair, she didn't count on Crist entering the Senate fray leaving the Gov's mansion temptingly vacant. Though, she seems to have backed off her earlier statement, and it's pretty much widely expected the Dems will rally around her should she run.

Bill McCullom, the state's Republican Attorney General, is expected to enter the Gov's race, and Ag Commissioner Charles Bronson, who is term limited, has announced he may as well.

Adam Putnam is expected to mount a serious challenge for the Agriculture gig, but that leaves the possibility of big question marks in the CFO and Attorney General position. Who would you like to see? Anyone local? We hate to keep pimping out Manny Diaz, but he still hasn't announced his post-mayoral plans.

 

Recession blues are so not pretty, and increasingly, consumers have been cutting back on life's little luxuries. That definitely includes spa visits and appointments for facials, massages, and manicures.

Well, here's a treat for frugal fashionistas and budgeting beauties who want to stack paper and still look fabulous.

Spa Week takes place from April 13 to 19. Over 750 spas nationwide will be offering up to three spa services, normally $100 or more, for a discounted price of $50. And you need to book an appointment ASAP if you want to get in on this sweet deal! Trust me - speaking from personal experience, these spots get filled up fast.

 
All kinds of establishments will be offering the discounted deals -- day spas, med spas, and fancy-pants resorts. This year's list of participating venues ranges from West Palm Beach and Boca, Hollywood and Fort Lauderdale, to Miami Beach, Coral Gables, and downtown. Here are the local offerings, so all you need to do is pick up the phone and dial!

If you're a woman of color -- even in a city as beautifully diverse as Miami -- it's easy to walk into a department store and feel like your options are limited. Even some of the biggest brands have the audacity to offer less than six shades of foundation, or eyeshadows with pathetic amounts of pigment that barely show up on brown skin. 

Now that Pretty in the City has been touring the salons and spas of Miami for over a year (we missed our own anniversary - January 14!) we can look back and reminisce on some of the finest establishments in the city. And we gotta say, we've seen the top of the mountain and it is beautiful.

The minute I met Michelle O'Neill and Irene Cuesta, creators of Aromessence body and beauty products, at last year's Honey Shine Holiday Bazaar, I knew I was on to something special. The ladies were so genuine and their products smelled so heavenly! And the story behind these all-natural aromatherapy-infused products is just as sweet.

Not every Christmas gift needs to be something you can wrap in shiny paper and stash under a tree. If you ask me, the best kinds of gifts are given in a small box, or an envelope. Yup -- Mrs. Pretty in the City isn't receiving averse to jewelry, gift cards, and especially spa certificates for the holiday season. Here are the top ten things we think any Miami beauty lover would adore for the season. Pay attention, significant others and spouses - get your lady something off this list and you'll definitely be her Christmas angel.

1 -- An oceanfront massage at the Spa at the Ritz-Carlton Key Biscayne. In case you haven't heard, this Ritz has an extra-special spa that Lots of local spas offer fabulous massage packages. But we can only think of one spa that faces the Atlantic, and provides massages in a beautiful private gazebo. What could be more relaxing or romantic than the Just for Two package? A 50 minute couple's massage, then manicures and facials for him and her. Approximately three hours, and it's only $565. A steal, no? No?

If you whiz through Dadeland Mall's parking lot anytime this weekend, you might be pleasantly surprised at what you encounter. The cell-phone wielding SUV moms will be smiling, instead of giving you the finger as they steal your parking spot. The typically sullen mallrat teens will have a spring in their step and an unusually sunny disposition. Is it the spirit of Christmas? Kind of.

Thanks to Clinique's Happy Weekend, holiday shopping might actually be fun!

Art Basel is here and the galleries of Wynwood and the Design District are packed with beautiful hip people, vying for attention with the paintings on the walls. And of course everyone is out to look their flyest. The beauty industry of Miami is well aware that the influx of visitors are looking to be pampered and prettified, and some of the coolest spas are offering special Art Basel beauty packages.

At the fabulous four star Ritz-Carlton Spa, (One Lincoln Rd., Miami Beach), art lovers can indulge with not one, but two fabulous reduced-priced salon specials. And they're appropriately named too!

When stunningly gorgeous California native model-slash-actress Anna Elizabeth decided to open a nail spot in Miami, her vision was simple and clear. "She wanted to open a fly-ass nail shop where bitches could come and get pretty before partying," explains John Guillot, the sassy and hilarious manager of Lace Nail Lab and the new Lace Beauty Lab - the gleaming new sequel to the original, beloved space on South Beach's West Avenue. Let me tell you - John is a hoot. Chit-chatting with him was just one of the highlights of my visit.

Lace's new space is bigger, fancier, and offers more beauty services and stylish items for sale than the old place. Pink, silver, and mirrored surfaces reign supreme, and in the lab's lobby, visitors are greeted with a designer clothing showcase where original designs by Kim Cera, La Perla swimwear, Chloe purses, and Dior shoes were available for sale. The layout of the nail care room brought back fond memories of NYC's Dashing Diva. The seating and layout would be ideal for a girl's day out or bridal shower!

Besides shopping and nail Lace now has additional rooms where they offer facials and massages. Some of their package deals sound irresistible - the Get Stoned mani/pedi eucalyptus footbath hot stone massage experience sounds just like what the doctor ordered, n'est-ce pas? My simultaneous mani/pedi experience was both efficient and nurturing - Lace believes in hot towel therapy, which left my hands incredibly soft.

Beautiful women of Miami, we’ve got a city jam packed with salons to visit and stores to shop at. And fingers crossed; there will be no weather snafus to tie you to the living room sofa this weekend. So go out and get your pretty on!

First stop, Kiehl’s (832 Lincoln Road, Miami Beach). The product line that’s been healing and beautifying since 1851 is hosting "Natural Recipes for Healthy Hair" events, every Thursday, through September 25. Stop by the Miami Beach store to work one on one with a Kiehl’s expert, who will consult with you to show you the type of shampoo, conditioner or treatment is best for your follicular needs. Kiehl’s just recently debuted two new hair care products, Ultimate Thickening Shampoo and Strong-Hold Styling Gel. This curly haired chica needs neither of those – OMG, my fro on thickening shampoo? It would be outta control! But that Olive Oil Repairaitive Hair Pak gives my thirsty coils exactly the moisture they need. Time to re-up!

Seeing as Miami Spa Month’s hourglass was about to run out, and yours truly just became the author of the award winning blog Pretty in the City (thanks to the South Florida Black Journalists Association), I figured what better time than the present to treat myself to one of Miami’s finest spa experiences? My advice to those seeking a spa adventure -- book your reservation early. Because I waited till the eleventh hour, almost everything was booked, over, or adapted to edit out the reason you chose that spa to begin with. Many spa practitioners confessed that they simply lacked the man power following their busiest July ever. Miami Spa Month was a huge success, apparently. So huge that I had to get creative with my choices. I decided to venture away from the standard best-of spa places – the deals at the Mandarin and the Setai didn’t seem worth it – a foot treatment sans pedicure, and a half hour massage were their respective offers. This pretty lady needed more bang for her buck. Hence, the Jurlique Spa in Coconut Grove’s secluded Mayfair Hotel. Their Journey to Havana included a mojito-scented foot soak, sugar scrub, and massage for $99. A sweet deal, indeed.

Inspired by both Eastern and Western sanctuaries, the ambiance at Jurlique is peaceful. As in, completely silent. No burbling nature sounds, no Enigma-esque New Age music humming in the background. Peace and quiet is the name of the game. The changing rooms are super private, the lounge area is beautiful. Pitchers of water infused with orange slices were a delicious and refreshing touch. Now – on to the treatment! The Journey to Havana began with a subtly scented mint foot soak and mini-massage.

In case you didn’t already make it (like me) or you’re blissfully unaware of anything happening around you (like me), you might not be aware that Miami Spa Month has been extended. Yes, much like Miami Spice Restaurant Month, Miami Spa Month is now a misnomer for almost-two months of indulgent beautification. You better make your appointment right away, because Sunday will be knockin’ on your door before you know it. To save you some time, I’m highlighting some of the most luxe, interesting deals. Book a reservation now, thank me later.

The Mandarin Oriental is known as one of the most fab spas in the city, and its offer of a $99 Oriental Foot Therapy sesh sounds almost too good to pass up. Just listen – “Leave the everyday pressures of life behind and cleanse away your cares with this symbolic and traditional treatment. The feet rest on warm pebbles as they are bathed in warm water rich with fragrant oils. Your therapist exfoliates and smoothes the feet and lower legs as well as massages Marma points on the feet and ankles.” Sounds like a dream, right? Call 305-913-8332 to book.

After reading about that prostitution spa scandal, it’s more than understandable why some Miami wives and girlfriends might raise an eyebrow if their fella expresses an interest in going to the spa. We’ll have you know, not every guy who makes an appointment for a treatment is looking for a happy ending -- manscaping is a huge trend in the spa biz these days. And spas are increasingly catering to dudes by offering facials, Vichy baths, waxing packages, and um -- “men-n-cures.”

At the Men-n-Cure Salon & Spa For Men in Coral Gables, they cater to you, and not in the creepy, slightly-sad way that Destiny’s Child song recommends. Guys get lured in with big screen TVs (playing ESPN, no doubt), free Wi-FI, and car detailing services while you wait. You can chillax with a complimentary beverage (beer, wine, soda or bottled water) and a snack before getting a shave and a haircut, a hand or foot treatment, chair massage, facial or back facial (because nobody wants backne on the beach, right?).

I’ve been on a mission to find the place to get my brow situation dealt with on a regular basis. I don’t ask for much – it has to be affordable, the place has to be clean and conveniently located, and they have to do a great job on the first visit, because otherwise I ain’t going back. Apparently I haven’t been alone on this mission – because the line at last week’s opening of the Benefit Brow Bar at Dadeland Mall was practically wrapped around the whole cosmetics’ area of Macy’s.

The regular cosmetics booths made way for the charmingly pink, retro-looking Benefit Cosmetics counter -- those unfamiliar with San Francisco’s beloved beauty brand were informed about the company’s credo – their makeup benefits your skin (hence the name). Think of it as skin care disguised as makeup. In major cities across the US and around the world, Benefit has been setting up these Brow Bars -- a special little shop at the Benefit Cosmetics counter designed to provide customers with an easy and convenient way to have their eyebrows shaped, arched and tweezed, all during a shopping trip. And their prices are shockingly affordable -- $18 for a brow arch, and $25 for a brow and lip wax.

Longtime Miami residents remember the stunningly gorgeous Danielle Knox from the TV news – Knox was the morning news anchor at CBS4/My33 in Miami. Even in that buttoned-up role, you could tell that Knox was a beauty with brains. When she gave birth to a beautiful baby boy in March, Knox left the limelight behind to create a beauty product brand of her very own. The brand is called Play Pretty Beauty, and it’s all about elegantly packaged, lusciously fragranced, body washes, lotions and lush creams. Danielle graciously allowed me to try some of Play Pretty’s best selling items, and I was blown away!

Play Pretty aims to alter the stereotypical view of natural-based beauty products. These aren’t gritty and they don’t smell funky. Play Pretty’s bath and body care products contain no mineral or petroleum oils, harsh detergents, drying SD alcohol or lanolin. Instead of using traditional ingredients which can be highly allergic, Play Pretty uses pumpkin seed oil to rebuild skin’s elasticity, apricot kernel oil to soften and moisturize aging skin, the renowned noni fruit for its anti-inflammatory capabilities, and almond oil to aid in moisture absorption. Some of the brand’s signature scents are just heavenly. Gingered Jasmine is a mildly spicy floral, their Celadon is zesty and refreshing, and Island Sorbet will make you smell positively edible.

Summer might seem like the enemy of Miami’s pretty people – just step foot outside and see how long your makeup stays intact. Just because it’s hot enough to melt a matte lipstick on your dashboard, doesn’t mean you should be stuck indoors. So look out weekend! Here we come -- there are some great beautifying events to see and do around town. Get in your car, crank that AC, go out and indulge.

The clock is tick-tick-ticking for Miami Spa Month, if you haven’t yet made an appointment, the last grains of sand are about to trickle through the hourglass. Visit their Web site to see what’s still available and where. You might luck out at a smaller, non-hotel niche spa like Uhma.

Within minutes of meeting Maria -- my waxer-to-be at the Medhur Day Spa -- she had me lying on my back with two wooden sticks pointing out of my nostrils. The ends of those sticks had been dipped in hot wax, which she then pushed into my virgin nose-holes with the entreaty: “Relax and breath through your mouth. We’re bringing sexy back.” Relax? WTF? How could I, with hot wax plugging my vital air passages? My mouth-breathing was ragged, desperate, and Lamaze-like while the wax cooled and hardened. Then Maria went one-two-YOINK, and my nostrils were almost hair free. A second round of wax-dipped sticks took care of the rest. Just when you think you’ve waxed every available orifice already, here comes something more interesting.

When I signed up for the “Women’s Package #1” at Medhur – which includes eyebrow shaping, under arms, upper lip, and nose – I assumed nose waxing meant the exterior, which I’d done before and was totally cool with. According to Maria, interior nose waxing makes you look younger, makes you look prettier and cleaner, and is just fine for almost anyone, unless you’ve got allergies. Almost all the hair removal at Medhur is done with a pink bubblegum colored no-strip wax (for what Maria refers to as “the peach fuzz”), green wax is reserved for thicker hair, like you-know-where. And Maria was very proud of her sick bikini waxing skillz. She was actually disappointed that I wasn’t visiting for a more intimate package. “You gotta come back for the bikini,” she insisted. “It’ll improve your sex life by 75 percent!” I LOLed and asked her where the statistic came from – “From me! From my clients,” she said with a sassy grin. I liked Maria instantly. She is mad cool, very reassuring, and through her no-nonsense banter, she made the procedure almost entirely painless.

It was the dude in the middle of Kendall Drive who got me. He stood on the middle of the center island, right in the middle of the hustle and bustle near the Town and Country Mall, waving a red sign. “FREE WAXING,” the sign said. Forget where I was going, how could I pass an opportunity like that up?

I followed the sign to a brand new branch of the European Wax Center, hidden away in the excitingly named Kendall Plaza #124 (at the back of Barnes & Noble, within eyeshot of the Starlight Diner). To lure new customers, the place is offering free bikini, eyebrow, or underarm wax for first-time visitors. My bikini experience at Uni K. Wax still haunted me, so I decided to stay safe and go for the underarms – a typically $14 for free. Sweet!

The big "Sex and the City" opening kerfuffle has come and gone, and despite dire reviews from film critics (Roger Ebert’s was my personal fave), those four hot cougars went on to top the box office, doubling ticket sale expectations.

In Miami, the opening weekend brought galas openings, enormous crowds, and like a cosmo hangover, the glorious haze of girliness drifts on into this week. So if you don’t just want to see Carrie, Samantha, Charlotte, and Miranda on screen, we say, why not take it a step further? The Van Michael Miami Salon is offering four salon beauty packages in homage to the blockbuster’s main ladies, and you should hurry up and book one – the special only runs through June 12.

Our annual Best of Miami issue has come and gone, and months after reporting and researching and writing our exhaustive entries, I’ve discovered a real candidate for next year’s Best Hair Removal category. (Yeah, I just made that up). Wax On, Wax Off is a spankin’ new salon right next to the CVS on Grand Avenue in Coconut Grove. I’ll admit up front – I absolutely adore this place. If you’re like me and you’ve been searching for a perfect new place to get de-furred, look no further.

With two glass walls on either side of the lobby, this place is bright and inviting. A bottle of bubbly sat on the counter, and as soon as I parked myself in a chair I was offered a glass. Or a mimosa. “How about both?” I asked, only half-kidding. After my last waxing tragedy, I was understandably apprehensive. But the friendly lady at the front desk made me feel at ease. And when I met my waxer-to-be, Erica, I felt immediately calm. Erica’s a bubbly, funny, chatty black female, and in my experience thus far, something of an anomaly on the local waxing scene. “I know, right?” she laughed when I expressed my surprise and pleasure to find similar to myself on the other end of the cloth strip. “We’ve been getting a lot of that kind of feedback.”

There’s plenty of high end makeup, beauty, and skin care items to be purchased in South Florida, but what you may not know is, there are also some pretty awesome products being produced and sold right here. Today, Pretty in the City will feature one such product line – Hot Pants fashion inspired makeup, which is made in Davie by the beautiful Brooke Boles. When we caught up with Brooke, she was mere days away from having a baby! So congratulations go out to her for bringing new life (and fabulous makeup) into the world.

A recent Los Angeles transplant, Boles set up shop in Davie. Five years ago she created Hot Pants, which she describes as “a jaw dropping, traffic stopping, guaranteed-to-turn-heads color cosmetics line for the eyes, lips, face, and body.” That description isn’t an overstatement – her eye shadows and eye bases are truly unique and outstanding. You’ve never tried eye shadow like this before.

I am unabashed in my adoration of GBS. Ever since I got a curl cut by Fort Lauderdale hair wizard Larramy, and was introduced to the phenomenal Deva Curl hair system at the local beauty supply store/salon hybrid, I just can’t stop singing their praises. Sure, there’s a time and a place for good ol’ Sally’s, and there are certain products you can only get at Ricky’s NYC. But I love GBS because it reps the 305. IT’s the only place you can get your manicured paws on unique local brands like Hot Pants Cosmetics, or Play Pretty Beauty. (Stay tuned for reviews of both of those South Florida based product lines). And unlike the two aforementioned beauty store rivals, GBS shows love with Customer Appreciation Day. Which – joyous rapture – is today!

From 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., shoppers can stop by the Pinecrest branch (11297 S. Dixie Highway, Pinecrest) for complimentary treatments galore. There’ll be mini-facials by Babor, makeup tips by glominerals, skin analysis by Murad, Phyto hair treatments, Zoya manicures, and flat iron demos by FHI. Experts from Wella, colorOn and Nuxe will be handing out samples like crazy, all while you nosh on deli deliciousness from JoAnna's Marketplace and Misha’s Cupcakes. Oh, and there’s a 20 percent discount on every item in the store. Shop now, thank me later.

If you’re feeling frisky after your shop-a-thon, swing by The Hotel’s pool deck (801 Collins Ave., Miami Beach) for SELF Magazine’s Mid-Week Makeover Event. From 8 to 10 p.m., sip cocktails, and live the luxe life with mini-manicures and massages. Wednesdays haven’t been this sweet in a long time. RSVP at 212-286-6202.

- Patrice Yursik

Rarely has a beauty product line been named so appropriately – LUSH skin care, hair, and beauty products are exactly what you might be dreaming of. Truly excellent, handmade, all-natural, and so fresh most items come with an expiry date, LUSH is what your mom should be using on her hair, face, and body. If your mama’s the kind of lady who doesn’t know any better than bar soap, you will absolutely knock her socks off at Cater To You, a pampering mini-spa day at the newish LUSH store at Dadeland Mall (7303 Kendall Dr., Miami). Stop by from noon to 6 p.m., spend $45, and you can score a free facial chosen especially for your skin type, and walk away with a free fresh face mask sample. Plus there’ll be massages and product demonstrations in store. Call 305-668-1774 to RSVP.

Or if your mom’s a bit more ritzy, take her to the Mother’s Day shopping event at Merrick Park (358 San Lorenzo Ave., Coral Gables). There’ll be live music, activities, and promotions throughout the sprawling mall, and if you drop $250, you get a complimentary orchid. Visit www.villageofmerrickpark.com.

- Patrice Yursik

Finding the perfect pedicure place can be such a frickin’ mission. Trial and error might reduce your one-stop-toenail-shop search to a top-three list, but what if you’re not in your usual neighborhood? What do you do when your toes are tore up in Aventura, or Kendall, or Doral? Wouldn’t it be great if there were a local chain of mani/pedi salons that was equally of high quality from branch to branch throughout the city? On a recent trip to fabulous New York City, I was swept away by my experience at Dashing Diva, a rapidly spreading chain that aims to be the Starbucks of pedicures. I’d sincerely like to see the franchise spread to Miami – it’s an ideal destination for a bridal shower, a girl’s day out, or a personal day of pampering, just because you deserve it.

“Oh, I stopped going there a while ago. I wasn’t impressed with the results,” said my college friend. “I just don’t like their method,” said my co-worker, wrinkling her nose in disdain. “I went once and never went back.” They were both warning me about their experiences at popular local chain Uni K. Wax, which has a branch in seemingly every corner of the city. The ubiquitous emporium is quickly becoming like the Starbucks of hair removal. As the self-appointed beauty blogger/guinea pig around these parts, I felt compelled to give Uni K. a shot, despite the dire statements of two ladies whose opinion I held in high esteem. Besides, I was right down the street from the South Miami branch, I really needed an appointment, and it was a Sunday afternoon – very few other salons are open at that time. I called up my nearest branch and booked myself in.

Thanks to G-Dub’s economic stimulus package, Uncle Sam’s blessing your recession-thin pockets with some righteous green sometime soon. Financial gurus might advise you to spend that money on “investing in the future,” “starting an emergency fund,” or “paying off bills,” to which we say, WWGWD? What would George W. do? Or want us to do, as good Americans? We think he’d want us to spend it in one extended self-indulgent pampering. Some me-time to the nth degree, because you deserve to feel like royalty. And you don’t need to go down to the ranch to get it, either.

The opulent ESPA at the Acqualina Resort & Spa is offering you the opportunity to blow it all in one shot on their fabulous tax rebate package. For $600, you can live the glamorous life for four incredible hours.