I am a native Rhode Islander (go West Warwick Wizards!) and I love all things about the ocean and New England. It’s no wonder I had such amazing skin when I was younger since I spent so many days swimming in the ocean (err looking at boys.) I’m planning at some point to make my way to Stone House in Little Compton RI some time in 2011 (it’s on my I really want to go here list) simply because I have heard so many people rave about their spa. What could be more perfect than staying in a historic building in Newport County to take in all that my quaint home state has to offer?

Since it’s the holidays, here are some Peppermint spa treatments that Stone House has on their menu:

Peppermint Pedicure $45
Cooling Peppermint Pedicure completely natural and intensely nourishing and hydrating. This pedicure utilizes natural peppermint essential oil and organic sugar.

Peppermint Massage $75
Fresh, cool, and lively, Peppermint massage is wonderful for the circulation, this sparkling scent invigorates the mind, increases memory and concentration, and relieves fatigue. You will be massaged with super-absorbable exotic oils and peppermint essential oil. 

Peppermint Body Scrub $90
Peppermint Body Scrub blends invigorating and refreshing peppermint oil with a high concentration of essential oils to moisturize and nourish the skin. This scrub will refine and polish the skin’s surface, leaving it smoother, softer, and clearer, with a healthy natural glow. Body Scrubs are some of the best skin remedies around, as they exfoliate, moisturize and pamper your skin.

If you have a cold like I do right now, I bet these peppermint spa treatments would do the trick to open your sinuses and let you breathe easier.

However all the rage seems to be focused on one spa treatment in particular at Stone House, and that is their Farmaesthetics Hot Toddy Body Scrub with Calendula Remedy Wrap: Whole organic herbs and citrus body oils cleanse your entire system. Organic orange peels, cornmeal, clove and cinnamon are applied to the body in a wet room to open pores and sinuses, indirectly stimulating the limbic system and promoting circulation followed by a luscious calendula cream wrap to thoroughly replenish a depleted complexion…tip to toe. I so need this.

You can find Stone House online at www.stonehouse1854.com or if you are reading this and happened to be nearby, they are located on 122 Sakonnet Point Road in Little Compton.  They also have a great promotion going on right now–If a guest chooses to stay with them from now until April 1, 2011, they will receive the rate of $125 per night during the week and $175 on weekends. This also includes a bottle of wine placed in the room before arrival!

Have you been here? Please share your experience so that I can live vicariously through you until I can get there myself!

I’d love to get to know you, so please Like A Girl’s Gotta Spa! on Facebook and follow A Girl’s Gotta Spa! on Twitter!

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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Guest post by Morgan Siler:

I have a new morning routine:

I get up before either my son or my man stirs and walk out into the den with Yoga mat, sports bra and ipod in hand.

I do 20 minutes of Sun Salutations and concentrate only on my breath and the feeling that I am truly a goddess or a rock star…or both.

I put off mentally listing the day’s “To-Do’s” until I am in the shower and can think with clarity as I sud up.

I owe this refreshing new sense of mental clarity in part to yoga and in part to Crabtree & Evelyn’s line of Aromatherapy Distillations.

Since aromatheraphy is known to enhance well-being, I knew it would be a great thing to incorporate into my daily routine.

I’ve been using their Skin Conditioning Body Wash and Body Lotion for a couple of weeks now and love knowing I’m nourishing my body with 100% pure essential oils. It also makes me quite happy to know there are no parabens, synthetic fragrance, colorants or sulfates. If you are normally a “fruity” body wash or body lotion gal, this scent may not be what you would normally pick out, but give it a chance…

The scent they have created is revitalizing without being over-bearing. It is an essential oil blend of lemon and coriander with spearmint, ylang ylang, star anise and oakmoss. I love coriander. I’ve never tried it in a beauty product before, but I think I’m going to start looking for it.

I use the lotion twice a day on my legs and they feel super well-moisturized and never greasy, not even when I first put it on. The coconut oil and tiari flower are known to restore suppleness and I can attest to my skin’s texture feeling soft and firm. Both the body wash and lotion are made with high quality ingredients and smell sophisticated and fresh.

I just saw here that Crabree and Evelyn are doing a special introductory offer where you can get both 8.5 oz of body wash and lotion for $25 (normally it would be $37)– a pretty great deal.

Who knows, maybe the revitalizing aromatherapy will inspire you to adopt a whole new wellness routine and you’ll find yourself up before the crows in downward facing dog. If so, know I am somewhere out there with you, doing the same.

Morgan

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Today is the last day of winter, can I get an Amen to that? By far my favorite seasons are spring and fall. Tomorrow being the first day of spring symbols the start of new life and new beginnings. This is clearly something quite relatable in my life right now. And with a new beginning comes the feeling of Optimism. It just so happens that this week I had the chance to try out Bath & Body Works aromatherapy line, specifically their Optimism Sudsing Body Scrub. A perfect metaphor for ridding myself of the old (dead, dry skin) and embracing the new (healthier skin.)

Bath & Body Works Optimism aromatherapy collection is a perfect mix of Jasmine, Ylang Ylang, Tuberose and Mate absolutes that they coined “Bright Blossoms.” The fragrance is beautiful and smell floral with a bit of a citrus tang to it with it’s orange and lemon oils. This sudsing scrub is a sugar scrub, so it’s gentle on your skin. I absolutely loved how soft my skin felt after having used it.

This beauty is only $13 for an 8oz. tube, which I think is amazing for the wallet. You can find it at your local Bath & Body Works or online at their website www.bathandbodyworks.com Have you tried it? I’d love to know. Happy Spring and new beginnings!

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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~~Peace~~

Follow these steps three times a week before bed and you will feel the stress melt away.

Turn off or down the lights and light 3 or 4 Lavender Essential Oil candles in your bathroom.

Dispense Relax Essential Oil Bubble Bath under warm running water in your bathtub.

Play relaxing music in the background.

Soak in the tub for 20 minutes and read your favorite book or magazine.

Drain tub and pat your skin dry. Be sure to blow out the candles.

Apply Relax Essential Oil Olive Butter and dress in comfortable pajamas.

Spritz Relax Body Spray on your body and lightly over bed sheets.

Apply Relax Essential Oil Lotion Bar to hands and feet.

Why our Relax scent? Country Bunny Bath & Body‘s Relax fragrance is Lavender, Ylang Ylang and Balsam. It is a smooth blend that makes you want to take a deep soulful rest.

Ylang ylang, which means flowers of flowers, is a traditional topical remedy that acts as a sedative, antidepressant and a tonic for the nervous system. Depression, anxiety, tension, irritability and stress-related insonmia can all benefit from its soothing properties. It can also be used to calm irritated skin, as well as, bites and stings.

Lavender is the most therapuetic of all the essential oils. It is a calming, soothing, antidepressant and emotionally balancing oil. Lavender has been known to lower blood pressure, tension, depression, insomnia, headaches and stress.

Balsam is a very pleasant smelling warming essential oil useful for arthritis and other forms of joint pain. Emotionally, it is said to be grounding and calming and effective in anti-anxiety blends.

Don’t you feel relaxed already?

Where to buy Relax Aromatherapy products: www.BigLakeSpa.com
Shipping: Fed Ex and UPS (Fed Ex arrives faster)
Where to buy Lavender Candles: www.RevivalSoy.com, drugstore.com
Related posts: Life Song Aromatherapy

Part 2 ~~Power~~ will be posted on Tuesday.

Tags: relaxation, aromatherapy, essential oils, aromatherapy oil, aromatherapy candle, aromatherapy skin care, lavender essential oil, Country Bunny Bath and Body

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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