new Archives - Little Pearls and Pieces

City Guides May 1, 2023

Charleston Adventure: My highlights + top picks

Hello, my friends! Recently, I had the opportunity to spend the weekend in Charleston, SC and wanted to share some highlights, plus my top picks for things to do and see.

Where I stayed

My friend and I stayed at the Hampton Inn in Charleston Historic District. This was definitely one of the best places to stay in the area. It’s a block from King Street (major for shopping, restaurants, bars, etc.), as well as being only a short drive from other destinations, like Mount Pleasant area. We were able to walk to most places, which was great!

Top Sites to See

Rainbow Row

Rainbow Row is a series of colorful, gorgeous historic houses near the French Quarter in SC. It’s also the longest cluster of Georgian row houses in the United States. While this is perfect for the architecture-lover, it’s also a major instagram location. It’s the perfect place to take a solo-pic plus, if you go when everything is in bloom, the flowers really add to the whole Rainbow and magic feel.

The Battery

If you are a history buff, or just love the water and old houses, definitely go down to the Battery and take a scenic walk back up Meeting street or King Street. There are some beautiful mansions, plus you can walk along the water and take in those beautiful views.

Sullivans Island – Fort Moultrie beach

One of our waiters actually told us about this beach and its famous dolphin sightings, which did not disappoint . It’s the perfect beach for a leisurely walk, without the crowds that come with bigger beaches. It also has a really nice trail that loops around the beach.

Tip for seeing dolphins: walk all the way down past the fort and onto the part of the beach that swimming isn’t allowed (Near the lighthouse). This part of the beach is closer to the open ocean, so you’ll have more luck spotting dolphins, as well as other sea critters.

Outerbank’s Filming Locations

If you’ve seen the Netflix show, Outerbank’s, then you most likely know that most of it was filmed in the Charleston – Mount Pleasant area. If you’re looking for some fun filming spots to go, check out The Wreck of Richard and Charlene (used as Kie’s family restaurant), Geechie Seafood (Shem creek, used as Pope’s family seafood shop), Huntington Island (used for most beach scenes, as well as having the Huntington Island lighthouse), and Ben Silver on King Street (Sarah and John B’s shopping trip).

Top Picks for Shopping

King Street

For major brand name shopping, head to King Street. For cute beachwear, head to Half-Moon Outfitters or Brandy Melville for more casual basics. If you’re looking to splurge, rest assured King Street has plenty to offer for all visitors to Charleston. Check out Louis Vuitton, Scotch & Soda, and Kate Spade. Looking for more vintage, boutique options? Upper King Street and little side streets have you covered. Check out Farside Vintage, Ensemble Consignment Boutique, and True Lucia for unique and vintage finds.

Top Picks for Food + Drinks

La Patisserie at Hotel Bennet

I love little french bakeries, so this place instantly pulled me in. Whether you’re just looking for coffee or in the mood for something sweet, this place delights. Their Matcha Latte’s are made perfectly and I seriously recommend their chocolate croissants. These croissants are perfectly fluffy and flakey, and the perfect addition to your morning coffee or tea. They also have a large selection of cakes, quiches, and chocolates!

Bourbon N’ Bubbles

One of the most important things I will say, MAKE SURE you make reservations for lunch and dinner, because places pack up quick in Charleston. This place really hit it out of the park. This place is a combination between upscale and casual dining. The food is absolutely fantastic! Their menu consists of fresh caught fish, locally harvested veggies, and premier selection of champagne, bourbon, and cocktails. My favorite cocktail was the
palmetto 75, a mix of gin, grapefruit liqueur, blueberries, citrus, and prosecco. It went great with the market catch of the day, which was a red snapper paired with sweet potatoes and asparagus.

Maya

Maya is an elevated mexican restaurant, offering playful appetizers, tacos, enchiladas, and tostadas focused on seasonal flavors. The atmosphere is definitely more relaxed and reminds me of a magical forest. I ended up getting their classic chicken tacos with salsa verde, pickled onion, and cilantro. They also have a fun, refreshing variety of cocktails, as well as non-alcoholic mocktails. I had the Cruel Summer cocktail, which was a refreshing mix of vodka, chrysanthemum, lemon, and soda. My friend enjoyed their Post-Melon mocktail, a easy and fresh mix of watermelon, mint, and lemon.

INK Rooftop & Lounge

This is the perfect place for a girl’s night-out. It has a fun, night-club vibe and the rooftop is definitely the main highlight. It features neon light signs, comfy outdoor couches, fake grass, and lovely city views. Again, definitely a very instagrammable place. I’m definitely more of a relaxed nigh-out kind of girl, so this place was perfect. The inside was more busy, but the rooftop was actually pretty chill and the perfect place to just sit down with a drink, chat, and have fun with some friends. The top floor outside reminded me of Alice in Wonderland (due to the fancy couches and tables and fake grass).

Well, that ends my highlights for Charleston! Anyone else take a trip to SC lately? What were your favorite spots? Let me know in the comments!

x. Miranda

Beauty January 22, 2023

Skincare Heroes: My Current favorite Ride or Die products

Hey everyone! I don’t know about everybody else, but my skin is ALWAYS changing. I have combination skin which, in my opinion, is the most difficult skin type (like are you dry? are you oily? please make a decision!).

Anyways, the seasonal transition months really do a number on my skin, but I have a couple of holy grail skincare products that get me through the winter to spring.

Links to each product are included, if you want to shop this list!

PAULA’S CHOICE Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant

This cult-favorite liquid exfoliant works to get rid of dead skin cells, get any nasty gunk out of your pores, and smooth wrinkles. Whenever I use this, I always see a difference in my skin. I have fairly sensitive skin, so I am super careful, especially with exfoliants. I have never had an issue with this one being too harsh. It’s main ingredient is salicylic acid, which helps clean out your pores and even out your skin. It also has green tea extract, which soothes irritated skin. I always notice my skin is smoother and far less prone to breakouts when I am using this consistently.

PERRICONE MD Cold Plasma+ Eye Cream

Okay, don’t judge me for this expensive eye cream! I got it in a subscription box and ended up liking it a lot. It’s pretty lightweight, compared to other eye creams, and absorbs quickly. It’s very cooling and really reduces the appearance of puffiness and tiredness. It’s main ingredients are vitamin c, omegas, and copper tripeptide. Vitamin c works to brighten and smooth the under-eye area. The Omegas help provide moisture and barrier protection to that delicate skin. The copper tripeptide works to refresh and rejuvenate the eye area, aiding in de-puffing and brightening. I’ve also noticed it really helps in preventing that caked on makeup look around the eyes, maybe due to the skin being more moisturized.

ZEALSEA Azelaic Acid 10% Facial Cream

I found this product through a skincare youtuber (Skincare by Hyram, anyone?!) and fell in love with it! The main call-out ingredients are azelaic acid and pionin. Azelaic acid is usually a bit more gentle than other acne and skin treatments. It works by gently smoothing the skin and treating everything from blemished to pigmentation issues. The other ingredient, pionin, works by inhibiting bacterial growth. I have found this product to be my savior in the winter, because it doesn’t dry my skin out but isn’t overly hydrating either. It’s a very balanced product.

ZITSTICKA Goo Getter Spot Clarifying Dots

These have to be my favorite little holy grails of all time! We all know about pimple patches and how AMAZING they are, but these take it to a whole new level. Not only are they made with special technology to stay put, they also contain special zit fighting ingredients to speed up healing. Some of these ingredients are niacinamide, salicylic acid, vitamin c, and tee tree. All of these ingredients are known for their clarifying and skin improvement qualities. I swear, you put one of these over a pimple at night and it’s basically gone by morning, plus they work really well as absorbing gunk. The other reason these are my absolute favorite patches is their ability to stay put. I’ve tried thinner or less expensive patches but sometimes they fall off or don’t stay where you put them. These always stay put, no matter if you have them on for a couple hours or an entire day. Plus, they are matte, so they aren’t super noticeable.

SKIN & LAB Tricicabarrier Relief Cream

This one is for all my sensitive skin babes. It’s a pretty lightweight moisturizer, but the ingredients pack a punch. It has centella extract, which reduces inflammation and hydrates. It also has tea tree extract, which can help calm irritated skin. Although this moisturizer is a little light for my skin, it still really helps with redness and irritation that can come with spending time outside in the cold and windy weather.

DR. BRANDT SKINCARE Hydro Biotic Recovery Sleeping Mask

Oooooh this is one of my favorite winter products! I have been using this for years and can honestly say it’s one of my staples. This leave-on gel mask works just as well as any heavier sleep mask, in my opinion. It’s packed with a restorative blend of ceramides, barrier strengthening ingredients, soothing peptides, honey, and tea extracts. I’ll use this if my skin is feeling especially dry, or when I’m traveling (this is a lifesaver after a long flight). It’s also one of the only sleeping masks that I’ve found absorbs pretty quickly. Usually, sleep masks tend to sit on top of the skin and not sink in too quick, but my skin sucks this one right up!

What do you think? What are some of your all-time favorite skincare products? Let me know in the comments!

xo. Miranda

(Disclaimer: some links in this post are affiliate links, which means I make a small commission, which helps to support the blog, if you make a purchased via the link. These links are there for convenience, not to pressure anyone to purchase. )

Beauty January 21, 2023

Welcome to Little Pearls and Pieces – Meet Miranda

Hello everyone! Welcome to Little Pearls and Pieces. I wanted to start this off with a little intro post, so here it goes.

Who am I?

My name is Miranda. I am a 26 year old fashion stylist who loves to travel and write. I am a beauty and skincare junkie (seriously, I have more skincare and beauty products then I know what to do with). You’d think I would know what my style is by now, but it’s kind of all over the place. Think boho-casual, with some glam and androgynous thrown in there.

Why’d you start this blog?

I ran a blog in college and I absolutely loved it. I have always loved writing but didn’t have the time to keep up with it. Now that I have a bit more time, I wanted to start it back up again. I have always loved sharing my skincare and beauty tips with others (I’ve never been more excited then when one of my friends asks me if I have any skincare recommendations). I also have been traveling a lot this year, figuring out where I want to end up. I think this was one of the thing I really wanted to share more about, because your 20’s is the perfect time to travel and really learn about yourself.

What’s with the name?

So, I came up with the name after a ton of thought. I wanted it to be something short and sweet, that also had meaning. Little Pearls and Pieces kind of symbolize things in life for me. The “pearls” are the great and wonderful things, whether big or small. The “pieces” are everything else in between, positive or negative.

What will your posts be about?

I plan to write about my travel adventures, favorite beauty products, travel hacks, fashion, and just life in general. I can’t wait to share more about my travel experiences, especially what brought me to spend the year solo traveling (expect a post on this 🙂 )

I hope you all are as excited as I am (I mean, I guess I’m not writing to anyone yet, but I’m still excited)

Follow along for some AMAZING adventures, tips and tricks, and thoughts about life

See you all soon!

x. Miranda