I remember my first brand trip like it was yesterday. It was less than 5 years ago and TTL had just reached 9k followers which at the time felt like an incredible milestone. I wasn’t getting much work yet and I was still trying to find my space in this industry. Needless to say, being invited to my first brand trip meant the world to me. It was the validation I needed at the time; it made me feel like I was exactly where I was supposed to be and gave me the push to keep going.
Fast forward to now, and the feeling is pretty much the same. I was incredibly honored to be invited to Lake Tahoe along with my plus 1, my bff Carol, to celebrate the launch of Drunk Elephant’s Bora Barrier Repair Cream. When a brand that I love, like Drunk Elephant holds a space for me as a creator and values my contribution in this industry, I feel like a lucky girl. I really want to commend Drunk Elephant for doing such a lovely job at bringing together such a diverse group of talented creators. In this industry, representation matters and I could tell that Drunk Elephant put a lot of care and work into planning this event. It was truly special.
A trip to Lake Tahoe was a brilliant way to celebrate the new Bora Barrier repair cream. I used this cream morning and night during our trip and it was exactly what my skin needed in the harsh cold temperatures. This rich, cream is great if you have dry skin, a compromised skin barrier, or even mature skin that struggles to retain moisture. What makes this one special is that it’s made with a 6-Butterlipid Complex. It’s going to soothe your skin and reduce the appearance of redness, support natural ceramide production which is important to increase and protect your skin’s moisture level and strengthen your skin barrier, and support hyaluronic acid production which helps your skin retain moisture and can help improve the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.
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Day 1 Lake Tahoe x Drunk Elephant
Edgewood Tahoe Resort
The Drunk Elephant team pulled out all the stops for this trip. It was truly the ultimate luxe experience and the resort was no exception. We were welcomed to the Edgewood Tahoe Resort by friendly staff and champagne on arrival. The property is remarkable btw. The interior has a lovely rustic charm with breathtaking views. Our room overlooked a beautiful lake and snow covered mountains.
Of course, Drunk Elephant hooked us up with all the Drunk Elephant skincare a girl can dream of, along with super sweet welcome gifts. We enjoyed stepping out onto our balcony every morning to take in the crisp morning air and serenity. Whether you’re in town for snow activities or just enjoying a little après ski, the resort has all the amenities to make your stay perfect. You can tell a lot about a resort by the people that work there and every employee we met was super friendly and eager to help. Carol and I started our stay in the best way, with a massage at the Edgewood Spa. Babes, my body needed this! I’ve got a bad case of tech neck and this was the perfect way to kick things off after a morning of traveling.
Cocktail Party
After our massages, we slipped into our cocktail attire. The dress code was winter chic and I think I nailed it. You know me babes, I’m all about building a capsule wardrobe and transitioning my pieces from season to season. This dress was gifted x L’agence and I layered it with this beautiful wool coat with fur collar from Mango. And babes, the fur collar is removable which means I’ll be able to transition it into spring.
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Day 2 Lake Tahoe x Drunk Elephant
Brand + Product Immersion
We started day 2 with a brand session and it had me geeking out. Not only did we get to learn so much about the brand and products, but we got to learn all of this directly from Drunk Elephant’s founder Tiffany Masterson.
Pictured with Tiffany Masterson, Founder of Drunk Elephant
You know your girl is a skincare junkie, so I was definitely in my happy place. Truly babes, I was so inspired by Tiffany’s journey to build Drunk Elephant into the amazing brand it is today. You’ve heard me say this before, but not everyone is going to see the vision or dream you have for yourself. There will be a lot of nay sayers on your path to success. Tiffany was no exception to this. Hearing her share her experience with rejection and criticism reminded me that anything is possible. Tiffany didn’t have a background in skincare development but she had a vision and trusted her instincts and stayed true to herself along the way. Her story is beautiful and I’m so honored to have the opportunity to learn more about her.
Snow Mobiling
Okay, so I’ve never been snow mobiling but I was totally down for a little adventure. Babes, this was so much fun! We took a 2 hour ride up into the mountains while it was actively snowing. I totally wasn’t sure what to expect but I didn’t realize we would be riding a trail up the mountain. I’m not gonna lie, your girl was pretty sore the next day (and the next week too LOL). The temps were in the 30’s and my new snow gear held up perfectly. Carol found these super cute snow suits on Amazon, and trust me, you won’t find a better suit for this price. It kept us warm and dry and we looked hell’a cute.
Day 3 Lake Tahoe x Drunk Elephant
Ice Skating Day
For our last day, the Drunk Elephant team planned a lovely afternoon of ice skating. While we had every intention of joining, Carol and I decided to be good girls and catch up on some work before playtime. We sat at the resort cafe enjoying matcha lattes while we worked. Before we knew it, we missed our chance for ice skating but instead got to chat with the lovely mommy daughter duo Aylen Park and Sonia. Babes, if you’re not following them, you definitely should go check them out.
Heavenly Village
For our last evening, we got to enjoy some local shopping at Heavenly Village. It’s a quint little shopping area with cobblestone sidewalks where you’ll find local stores and boutiques, ice skating, a movie theatre and lots of restaurants. It’s the perfect place to pick up some tchotchke souvenirs. Carol and I bought some natural stone bracelets to gift for Valentine’s Day. For dinner we headed over to Flatstick Pub, an indoor miniature golf course with craft beer and casual Mexican food. It’s a fun little place if you enjoy miniature golf and want to do something fun indoors.
Day 4 Lake Tahoe x Drunk Elephant
Back to LA with New Friends
We headed back to LA the next morning, but caught this cute selfie with our new friends. So grateful to Drunk Elephant for this truly special trip!
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