January is National Health Month, and at the close of the season A Girls Gotta Spa! discovered an inexpensive treat that will keep your skin looking young and fresh during the winter months.

At under five dollars per product, Calgon’s  Ageless Bath Collection is an affordable, easy way to give your skin the antioxidant protection it deserves.

I’m an unashamed bath product enthusiast, so I was excited to try the Luminous Bath Pearls.  Calgon’s exclusive Vita-Pearl technology includes Vitamin E and collagen to moisturize, while the pearl powder blend imparts a luminous glow.  The scent, though slightly overpowering at first, was quite nice and refreshing, and my skin had a soft shimmer once I dried off.

If you have ultra-dry winter skin, I would advise against using this product alone as a moisturizing agent – it’s best to pair it with a richer lotion for dry skin relief. Overall, the Ageless Bath Collection is wonderful little treat that feels much more decadent than the price tag would lead you to believe.

Learn more about Calgon’s Ageless Bath Pearls and kiss your dull winter skin goodbye! Have you used this product?

Amanda Huggins

Amanda is a PR and communications girl living and working in the NYC area. She is a firm believer in the powers of a strong cup of coffee and fire-engine red lipstick.

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In the last year I have had to drastically cut back on visits to the spa.  My normal routine would  include monthly waxing, facial, threading, microdermabrasion and a few other treatments. In the last year my budget has just not allowed me the luxury of my ”normal monthly beauty routine”, so like any good recessionista I’ve had to find at-home spa alternatives. And I did a few months back when I discovered Repechage, a professional line of skincare products  available at spas around the globe.  I tried a few skincare products from this line and they performed great, spa quality results at home.  I was excited to find out if their bath and body products would also give me that at-home spa feeling.

I tried their line of Sea Spa bodycare, which included the Sea Spa Body Wash, Sea Spa Bubble Bath and the Sea Spa Massage, Bath & Body Oil.  All of these products are infused with essential oils and sea plants and they all have a really soothing fragrance.  The body wash is a soap-free foaming gel that left my skin feeling clean but not dry.  The bubble bath is also soap and sulfate free and contains essential oils that are combined together to help detoxify, ease tension and  relax muscles.  The fragrance of the bubble bath definitely helped me to relax and my skin did not feel as dry as it normally does after soaking in a bath for 20 minutes, I was a bit disappointed that the bubbles dissolved rather quickly, though.

My favorite is definitely the Massage, Bath & Body Oil.  It left my skin feeling smooth and silky and contains no artificial color or synthetic perfume.  These bath and body products did not disappoint, they performed just as well as the skincare products that I’ve tried from this line.  Just the fragrance alone was enough to make me feel like I had created a spa in the privacy of my own bathroom, the only thing missing from the equation was a thick, plushy spa robe…make sure you have one handy before beginning your Repechage spa experience at home.

Gail Lewis

Gail is at times a model, most of the time a blogger, but always a beauty junkie.

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As I write this, it is snowing here in the Poconos. What better time to write about a skin care line based out of Hawaii? The best part was taking the picture of the tropical products in the snow!

I had the opportunity to try Kohana’s Wild Ginger Moisturizing Body Wash from their Hawaiian Rainforest Collection and Bamboo Lemongrass Body Buff from their Palaau Spa Collection. The Wild Ginger Moisturizing Body Wash smells of ginger and lime. It’s a scent that tends to awaken the senses. I love that the main ingredient is aloe–that told me from the start that this body wash was going to be soothing to my skin. And the Bamboo Lemongrass Body Buff is a delicious mix of what smells like lemon zest and sugar. The sugar, bamboo powder and oil concoction of Macademia Seed Oil, Coconut Oil, Kukui Nut Oi and Lemongrass Oil create a medley of awesomeness.

All products from Kohana are natural, vegan, organic and cruelty-free. See all of their products at www.KohanaSkin.com. Have you used any products from their line?

Shannon Nelson

Shannon Nelson launched A Girl's Gotta Spa! in 2005. She currently works with beauty brands as a social media consultant, freelance writes for magazines and is a public speaker at beauty industry conferences.

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When New Jersey-based bath and body company, DollyMoo, contacted me about trying their organic scrubs and body oils, I was nervous. I love when indie beauty brands contact me, especially when they are quasi-local to me, but always feel the pressure that they are crossing their fingers I’ll love their product enough to write about it to help them garner awareness. That pressure is always there for me because I understand what it means to be a start-up beauty business…and I know what it means when your budget is ridiculously small when it comes to sending product out for review. Why do I feel the pressure? Because there have been many times that the product is just not something I can endorse for one reason or another and it makes me feel sooooo bad.

Thankfully, this was not one of those times.

DollyMoo is created by two sisters, Amy and Nicci. They sent me Coconut Citrus in both their Body Scrub and Body Oil to try. And let me tell you, the smell alone makes you long for the warm summer sun, sipping something cold and refreshing while taking in the scents of the beach…wearing your SPF of course! The scrub combats dry skin without much of a fight, although if you have any scratches or cuts at all avoid using the scrub in those areas as this is a salt scrub (i.e. cuts will sting). While the scrub sloughs off dry, flaky skin, the oils seal in moisture. (Tip: It’s great to use prior to shaving!)

Application of the Body Oil only requires 1 pump (per leg, arm, etc.) It’s best to apply it as soon as you get out of the shower without skin being completely dry. This helps the oil seal in that moisture that is so very necessary in the winter when fireplaces, wood stoves and thermostats set high dehydrate the skin. It will feel a bit greasy at first (it is an oil after all), but I found that it absorbed into my skin by the time I was putting on my clothes.

Definitely a product line that delivers on its promises. Your skin will be hydrated and healthy and it will smell so good! Check out their products at www.dollymoo.com.  Have you tried their collection?

Shannon Nelson

Shannon Nelson launched A Girl's Gotta Spa! in 2005. She currently works with beauty brands as a social media consultant, freelance writes for magazines and is a public speaker at beauty industry conferences.

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Kiehl’s may not deliver the most bargain-friendly bath and body goodies around, but it’s comforting for us shopping addicts to know that our hard-earned money is not only going towards quality skin care and beauty, but also to a good cause to boot! The 160-year-old, New-York-based apothecary brand is no stranger to giving back, and their renewed partnership with Jeff Koons kicked off the recent holiday season with another limited-edition Creme de Corps collection – this time inspired by the artists’ legendary “Balloon Flower (Yellow)” sculpture.

While the holiday season is well over by now (*sigh of relief*), luckily it’s not too late to take part in the charitable cheer! Ranging in price from $29-72, plus a collectible bottle topper inspired by the original sculpture for $50, this collection donates 100% of its net proceeds (up to $200,000) to The Koons Family Institute, a branch of the International Centre for Missing and Exploited Children. Plus, considering Creme de Corps has been lauded as the most hydrating of Kiehl’s extensive collection of moisturizers, it’s the perfect purchase to help you beat brittle winter skin!

- Alexandra Gambardella

*Guest beauty post from my friends at TheFind.com.

Shannon Nelson

Shannon Nelson launched A Girl's Gotta Spa! in 2005. She currently works with beauty brands as a social media consultant, freelance writes for magazines and is a public speaker at beauty industry conferences.

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While I wouldn’t say that I’m tanorexic, so to speak, and I never verge on the orange side of way too tan, I have to admit that I do enjoy my summer glow. It makes me look and feel healthier, sexier, thinner, and looks great against my favorite brightly-hued wardrobe pieces. But does it really have to be summer to rock a summer glow? Is being tan strictly a seasonal thing? Technically no, but there is something to be said about using self-tanner in moderation in the off-season!

Gradual self-tanners help you get and maintain that subtle glow without showing up at work one day looking an entirely different shade than the day before! Moisturize with a gradual self-tanning lotion and skin will be nourished, soothed, and firm while slowly but surely building an even sun-kissed tone. Let’s face it – unless you’re heading out to the tropics for the holiday season, you have no reason to look like you’ve spent a week at the beach in one go!

From left to right: St. Tropez Tanning Essentials Everyday Gradual Tan, Sisley-Paris Soleil San Soleil Self Tanning Lotion, purminerals Get a Little Self Tanning Lotion, and La Prairie Gradual Tanning Lotion.

- Alex Gambardella

*Guest beauty post for A Girl’s Gotta Spa! from my friends at TheFind.com.

Shannon Nelson

Shannon Nelson launched A Girl's Gotta Spa! in 2005. She currently works with beauty brands as a social media consultant, freelance writes for magazines and is a public speaker at beauty industry conferences.

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If you can believe it, I don’t own a passport. I’m envious of my friends jet setting around the world and bringing back unique fashion and beauty finds. But now I found a new online retail destination that brings those items to you. styleVISA features a distinct and eclectic assortment of home décor, personal accessories, beauty products and limited curations by artisans and designers from all over the world. Like a travel visa, the concept is to create an online passport to global culture and design…an assortment of those amazing finds you come across when globetrotting (sometimes near, sometimes far.) Not that I can speak from experience about globetrotting, but you know what I mean (side eye at my jet setting friends.)

Right now styleVISA is spotlighting designers and artisans from Africa, France, New Zealand, Mexico, Japan, Sweden and the US. I spy Kio Kio, a New Zealand bath and body company that’s been reviewed on A Girl’s Gotta Spa! before. There’s also a lotion bar from Etta + Billie that resembles the lotion bars I used to sell from Jordan Essentials (and if these lotion bars are as good as Jordan Essentials, then you definitely want to pick one up!) There’s also nail polish from Scotch Naturals, and while I have never heard of them, the colors look amazing.

So which visa stamp do you want? Take a trip, no passport required! styleVISA is offering A Girl’s Gotta Spa! readers 10% off  everything on their site until November 30, 2011. Use code STYLEPASSPORT at check out! www.stylevisa.com.

Shannon Nelson

Shannon Nelson launched A Girl's Gotta Spa! in 2005. She currently works with beauty brands as a social media consultant, freelance writes for magazines and is a public speaker at beauty industry conferences.

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It’s officially November, and I’ve finally traded in my signature iced coffee for a more autumnal alternative – green tea. Besides the sheer comfort that curling up with a hot cup of green tea brings, the drink has some incredible health benefits that range from weight management to powerful antioxidants.

Now, organic beauty brand Aperio has harnessed the powers of the drink to create beauty products that are as soothing  as a hot cup of tea.

I had never heard of Aperio before, so I was excited to test out their goods. The brand’s goal is to promote skin health through natural ingredients — and all products are formulated without heavy chemicals, so you’ll feel good about what you’re putting on your skin.  Especially during the winter months, there’s nothing I love more than a good exfoliator to slough off dry skin and get that summer-esque glow back.  I tested out Aperio’s green tea sugar body scrub and was pretty pleased – aside from smelling delicious, the scrub lasted awhile before it disintegrated so I was able to max out my scrub session.

After you’re done exfoliating, the in-shower softening cream is a great replacement for your run-of-the-mill shower gel.  It’s both cleansing and moisturizing, and it doesn’t just sit on your skin as many shower gels tend to do.   Finish up the indulgence with a dollop of Green Tea lotion for a shea butter-y  finish.

All three products together are a decadent little shower treat….not to mention you’ll be smelling of sweet green tea  after using them together. Who doesn’t love a little scent layering?

Aperio has a slew of other all-natural and deliciously fragranced products that won’t irritate your skin. Find them at  www.aperionatural.com. Have you tried any of their products?

Amanda Huggins

Amanda is a PR and communications girl living and working in the NYC area. She is a firm believer in the powers of a strong cup of coffee and fire-engine red lipstick.

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I once paid $38 for a bottle of Dr Haushka’s Neem Oil, and after a year of using it on and off, I felt mostly disappointed and somewhat robbed. Fast forward a couple of years and I have before me a very affordable and effective alternative that will rescue dry, brittle nails and ragged cuticles called Complete Essential Oils Derma Neem Nails ($7.99 for 4ml).

My nails are in fairly good condition – they always seem stronger in the summer (more sunlight equals vitamin D equals strong nails??). I was once given a manicure by a woman who said very firmly that most nail issues are due to lack of hydration. I took this to heart and I usually make sure to rub my nails with whatever rich moisturizer I have lying around. To prepare for my Derma Neem Nails test, I stopped this habit and within 48 hours I could see that my nails looked drier and a couple of them were even beginning to look ridged.

Derma Neem Nails  improved matters almost instantly and a daily dab is keeping my nails looking perfectly well nourished. Application is by a well-behaved roller-ball tip – another plus over the Dr Haushka, which is messy and wasteful to use. What I like about Derma Neem Nails is that is has emu oil, which essential fatty acids – linolenic, linoleic, oleic, and palmitic – and is highly compatible with human sebum. It is known to stimulate hair growth – and what’s good for hair tends to be good for nails as well.  Grape seed oil also has fatty acids and, like all of the oils here, is a good source of vitamin E. A study in the UK found that topical vitamin E was helpful for yellow nail syndrome.

The makers of Derma Neem Nails recommend that if your nails and cuticles are in a particularly sorry state to exfoliate with a mixture of salt and virgin olive oil before applying their oil rescue.

This is a little gem that has nailed its job at a price that break the bank.

Ingredients: Grape seed oil, emu oil, jojoba oil, proprietary blend of essential oils.

For more honest reviews and information about beauty and personal care products, visit Truthinaging.com

Marta Wohrle

I was born in England in 1960. A former journalist and recovering consultant, I now work in the online and digital media space. I have never tried Botox. I founded Accord Media in 2008 to publish Truth In Aging with a mission to offer truthful and unbiased guidance to people seeking to improve their physical health and appearance through skin care, hair care, health and beauty products, and salon and clinical treatments. A publishing industry veteran, I try to bring a uniquely curious, honest voice to consumer journalism through my web sites.

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What is a girl to do on a Friday night when it’s raining cats and dogs, she has absolutely no plans and there is nothing good on TV? Why enjoy an at home spa night of course!  I had just received an array of  Camille Beckman bath and body products and could not wait to try them and a rainy Friday night just seemed like the perfect time to give them my undivided attention…with some minor interruptions from a glass or two of red wine, of course.

I decided to try the products from their Tuscan Honey line.  First up was the French Milled Soap.  I loved the really light fragrance of the soap and went insane for the super rich lather.  After cleansing with the soap I decided my feet needed some lovin so I exfoliated them with the Pumice Oval Exfoliating Stone.  The stone definitely left my heels feeling smoother and softer and I really appreciated that it has a string attached to the stone to prevent me from dropping it constantly.  I had a few sips of my wine and decided it was time to moisturize so I whipped out the Tuscan Honey Body Butter.  The body butter is very thick and rich and left my skin uber moisturized (it also contains 7% Shea butter.)

Since my feet received some extra lovin I felt like my hands might get a bit jealous, so I decided to give them some extra attention too and after exfoliating them I applied the Glycerine Hand Therapy.  Well my feet got jealous of my hands because the Glycerine Hand Therapy is just amazing.  It is beyond moisturizing…so I guess I would call it restorative…my hands immediately felt soft, pampered, loved and of course moisturized.  I tend to suffer from dry feet (thanks to living in flip flops 24/7…too hot for anything else) so I applied the hand therapy to my feet and they have been feeling and looking a lot more presentable lately.

All of the products I tried from the Camille Beckman Tuscan Honey line were just great.  They all had a very light, pleasant  and soft fragrance…never overpowering.  They were all very pampering and moisturizing and the packaging is absolutely charming.  Spending a Friday night with Camille Beckman was the best time I’ve had on a Friday night in a very long time.

Gail Lewis

Gail is at times a model, most of the time a blogger, but always a beauty junkie.

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