Ultimate Guide to Maui, from a Maui Girl.

Since this Maui girl moved back from the mainland, I have become a curator of all things amazing on the island.  And nothing says ALOHA like paying it forward and passing on this knowledge in a helpful list of amazing spots on Maui for all your needs. Enjoy! -Cynthia Rose

Olowalu Plantation. Hair and makeup by our Cynthia Rose. Photo by Tamiz. Wedding Planning by Opihi Love.

Where to stay:

Andaz Maui.

New and gorgeous. This is one of my favs to go to for brides and for my staycations.

3550 Wailea Alanui Dr, Wailea, HI 96753

Montage Kapalua Bay

Gorgeous views, gorgeous property and amazing service.

1 Bay Dr, Lahaina, HI 96761

And for those looking for off the beaten path:

Travaasa Hotel Hana Maui.

Hana is by far my favorite part of the island and any excuse to come here is a good one. Just a gorgeous hotel in a gorgeous place. 

5031 Hana Hwy, Hana, HI 96713

Four Seasons Lanai

On a remote island in Maui county, the most stunning resort I have had the pleasure of staying at/working at.

1 Manele Bay Rd, Lanai City, HI 96763

Coffee.

We all know how important this one is. 

To Starbucks or not to Starbucks while on vacation.

I got one better for you: Akamai. It means smart in Hawaiian and you’d be smart to give it a try. Their location in Kihei has adorable swings for Instagram shots.

1325 S Kihei Rd Suite 100, Kihei, HI 96753

Sushi.

Admit it, that’s all you want from your trip. The most epic sushi outing ever. Don’t worry, I got you.. Nuka Sushi. Is it out of the way, yes. But that is part of the good story you’ll have to tell to your friends back home.

780 Haiku Rd, Haiku, HI 96708

If you’re looking for something less off the beaten path... try Three’s Bar and Grill or Sansei.

Happy Hour.

Now this... I am passionate about. 

My fav happy hour is Three’s Bar and Grill. Their happy hour menu is delicious and generous and their sushi is amazing as well.

1945 S Kihei Rd, Kihei, HI 96753

I also love Monkey Pod, but you have to ask for their happy hour specials because they don’t let you know it’s happy hour time. ;)

Or Dukes Maui. Dukes is on one of my fav beaches on Maui because it has great public parking and a shower. So I often partake in Duke's ambience and happy hour.

Lunch

TinRoof. Trust me. And order ahead.

360 Papa Pl, Kahului, HI 96732

Breakfast

La Provence. Adorable French bistro in Kula. Take a pastry to go. 

Hot tip: Closed Monday and Tuesday. Cash only. 

3158 Lower Kula Rd, Kula, HI 96790

Dinner 

Mamas Fish House. Hands down the best on Maui. Best service. Best food. Best ambience. Best drinks. Amazing view. 10/10 every time I go.

Hot Tip: Not a well kept secret, so make a reservation well in advance if you want to go.

799 Poho Pl, Paia, HI 96779

Acai Bowl & Poke Bowl

Jaws Country Store

On the way to Hana, or just exploring the north shore get some amazing food!

4320 Hana Hwy, Haiku, HI 96708

Unique gifts for children (and maybe a gift or two for you)

Ohi’a Boutique. Adorable unique Hawaii centric children’s gifts. As well as artisan jewelry and clothing for adults.

Hot Tip: same complex as Nuka sushi, so make it a twofer trip.

810 Kokomo road Suite #120 Haiku, Hi 96708

Unique gifts for him

One Eighty

Awesome Maui shirts and hats and stickers.

Kaahumanu Center Kahului

Unique gifts for everyone:

Sun Days

Obsessed with this store! Trust me. Well curated and beautiful gifts!  

Hot tip: Get a shave ice from Ululani's down the street. Be sure to get haupia ice cream in it!

105 Baldwin Avenue in Pa‘ia

Looking for other Maui recommendations? Feel free to write: Aloha@KiponaAloha.com

Feature in Carats and Cake!

We are thrilled to announce that one of our weddings have been featured in Carats and Cake!

http://caratsandcake.com/kelseyandtyler

We loved working with the gorgeous Bride who happens to be the owner of Flower Girl Los Angeles, our favorite florist in Southern California!  

Here are some of our favorite images from the wedding!

Flowers by Flower Girl Los Angeles. Photos by Maui Maka Photography. Makeup and Hair by Cynthia Rose for Kipona Aloha. Location Hui No'eau Makawao, Hawaii.

Timeline of Do's and Don'ts before your Maui Wedding

We here at Kipona Aloha pride ourselves foremost on being renowned wedding beauty experts. Especially for weddings in Hawaii! Our founder Cynthia Rose has taken her years of experience in weddings as well as with celebrities and models and compiled a list of dos and don’ts to help you navigate your beauty regiment before your big day in Hawaii:

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6 months Prior

This is the latest I would start if you have *major* skin concerns. Have your doctor have a look and prescribe some help for issues like acne, uneven pigmentation or scarring. You can also take care of brown spots, fine lines, pores & redness.  And because it may require multiple sessions & several months to see their cumulative results, this is also the right time to schedule a series of dermatologist-administered light peels & microdermabrasion on both the face AND body.

3 months Prior

If you haven’t already, find the best brow groomer in your area. Brows frame the face and having them look on point is a must. At least 3 months prior talk to your brow groomer and find on a shape and tint you love. 

This is also the time to book a follow up appointment with your dermatologist so they can see how your skin is responding to any new prescriptions and products. At this point, there is still time to tweak anything so you get the best results by your wedding day.

1 Month Prior

Have your last professional facial. *Never* have a facial or microdermabrasion right before the wedding.

From this point on it isn’t wise to try any new products or aggressive in-office treatments. Instead, stick to wearing extra sun protection, using a mild exfoliator, and applying moisturizer religiously to your face and body.

For extra glowing skin and diminish dark circles drink lots of water, get adequate sleep, exercise, and maintain a well-balanced diet. 

Invest in a Keratin Treatment. If you battle frizz, go for an in-salon keratin treatment one month before the wedding so your texture is under control but hair doesn’t fall flat on the day. This is especially helpful for tropical weddings. Hawaii’s climate can be quite humid and a keratin treatment can really smooth out unruly strands.

3 Weeks Prior

This is the time to book a wedding hair and makeup trial (or preview as I like to call them). Wear a white t-shirt (or one close to the color of your dress) for the preview, so that you can see how the make-up looks against that color. Take a picture of yourself in daylight and another with flash to see how it looks in both lightings before deciding on a final look. Bring references to your make-up and hair preview. Start looking for images of make-up and hair that you really like and bring them with you on the day.

Sometimes with destination weddings you aren't afforded the luxury of a preview day or trial, instead you can use reference pictures to effectively show your artist what you would like as well as send photos of yourself. A seasoned artist will know what questions to ask, but be prepared to send pictures they are always helpful. Remember, one person's "smokey eye" is another's "natural look".

Book a professional teeth cleaning and in-office whitening to remove surface stains, plaque and whiten and brighten teeth.  To maintain the brightness, use over-the-counter whitening strips up until a day before.

Any last min acne flare ups? Absolutely no picking blemishes. If you can’t get in with your dermatologist, we recommend using this instead:

http://www.dermalogica.com/us/html/products/overnight-clearing-gel-50.html

2 weeks Prior

Get your final trim, and touch up your hair color or highlights. Perfecting your color, whether it’s a root touch-up or subtle highlights, at this point is smart because it gives the dye a chance to settle while still looking fresh, but doesn’t leave enough time for your roots to start growing in. 

Drink at least 64oz. of water a day. Proper hydration improves dryness and fine lines. Skin is a protective barrier to prevent excess fluid loss, so drinking more water can make our skin better hydrated and have a plumper appearance. 

1 Week Prior

Try to avoid salty foods, excessive carbohydrates, and do NOT overdo exercise as all of these things cause your body to retain water and can result in a puffy face and eyes. We know it can be hard especially with all the tempting delicious foods on Maui (And soon we will be doing a blog post of all of those amazing hidden foodie gems. Sorry!). But remember everything in moderation and you can always have a spluge day after.

Have your eyebrows shaped for the last time. 

Take extra care to avoid the sun and/or apply sunblock. This is especially useful to remember because you will likely be on island 1 week prior to your wedding and it’s very tempting to be a sun worshipper when here. Remember hats, umbrellas and sunblock are your friends.

Take care to use lip treatment to avoid chapped lips. Don’t forget sunblock on your lips too. The sun can be pretty unforgiving in Hawaii.

Avoid new skin products or treatments, and basically anything you think may cause an allergic reaction such as: overexposure to the sun, a strong glycolic peel, self-tanner, and spray-tanning booths this late in the game.

3 days prior

To ensure your skin is smooth but not irritated, get waxed no later than 72 hours before the wedding day. KEEP IN MIND: if you’re new to waxing, have an aesthetician test it a few months ahead of time to see how skin reacts.

Remember to reduce redness and swelling immediately following hair removal, ask your aesthetician to recommend a calming cream.

1 Day Before

Get a manicure and pedicure! You will undoubtedly be having some close-up shots of your hands. Be it your getting ready shots or the wedding band exchange and for a Hawaii wedding you may even be in a sandal or strappy toe baring heel. Your best bet is to get a manicure and pedicure to smooth and exfoliate your hands and feet and have them looking their best. To ensure chip-free lacquer, try a gel polish mani *as well as* pedi. The sand on the beach in Hawaii can chip away at a gorgeous new pedicure. If you go for a gel cured pedicure you can help reduce that risk.

Use a body wash to gently exfoliate or polish your skin, especially your décolletage and arms.

Apply lots of gentle moisturizer -- everywhere.

Don’t forget to drink extra water!

And remember to remain calm, breathe, and most importantly: have fun…after all you’re in Hawaii. 

Mahalo and Ho'omaika'i!

Cynthia Rose