Best Body Washes for Acne-Prone Skin

Shannon Smyth
Best body washes for acne prone skin via @agirlsgottaspa Bacne. Something that is often dreaded when the warmer weather hits and you want to ditch the layers. While I personally haven't experience body acne, I do have keratosis pilaris on my arms and legs, so I know the feeling of having a skin condition I want to clear up and am often embarrassed by. There's a lot of great body washes out there that can help diminish body acne without a prescription and without the uber drying effects of benzoyl peroxide. While that's an effective ingredient, it just creates a secondary issue for you to have to deal with - dry, flaky skin. No thanks! Here are 4 body washes that we've found work best on body acne (and smell great too!) Yes to Tomatoes Acne Fighting Body Wash This body wash has 2% salicylic acid, which is a known exfoliant that is also an anti-inflammatory. Since most body acne is caused by clogged pores, this is effective at cleansing acne-prone skin. This body wash is also sulfate-free and cruelty free. A Girl's Gotta Spa! Energizing Citrus Body Wash The citrus essential oils are the magic of this body wash. Lemon and lime are natural astringents, cleansing the skin of blemish-causing bacteria. It also contains 30% aloe vera, which soothes inflammation. Sulfate-free and cruelty free. The Body Shop Tea Tree Body Wash Tea tree isn't just a great anti-acne oil for your face, but great for your body as well. Tea tree oil won't over-strip your skin, a common problem when using benzoyl peroxide type body washes. Sulfate-free and cruelty free. Origins Clear Improvement Purfying Charcoal Body Wash Activated charcoal is one of my favorite ingredients for combatting acne. It's something I use in my skin care regimen and my skin has never been clearer. This body wash, with it's minty fragrance, is effective at banishing the blemishes. Which body wash do you use to combat acne? Subscribe to A Girl’s Gotta Spa! beauty blog. Watch our reviews on YouTube, see our pins on Pinterest and check us out on Instagram. Got a Kindle? We’re on Kindle too! Disclosure: affiliate links

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6 Tips to Avoid These Summer Skin Problems

Shannon Smyth
6 tips to avoid these summer skin problems via @agirlsgottaspa Oh the summer skin care woes. From sunburn to body acne to sun parched skin, we've gathered expert tips for how to avoid them from the start. Perspiration, body acne Expert Tip:  “To prevent breakouts in the summer, use oil-free moisturizer. During the hotter months skin’s natural oil combined with oil-free moisturizer is enough to keep skin well-hydrated. This trick will also help prevent skin from looking too shiny in the summer.” –Alina Cimpoeru, lead esthetician at The Guerlain Spa Treatment: The deep cleansing Orchidee Imperiale “Cure” Facial utilizes products from the renowned Orchidée Impériale skincare range to fight signs of aging, and leaves acne-prone skin feeling fresh and radiant. Our favorite product to use at home: Subtle Green Vienne Moisturizing Lotion for face and A Girl's Gotta Spa! Body Lotion for body 6 tips to avoid these summer skin problems via @agirlsgottaspa Bloat, Water Retention “Hydration, hydration, hydration! Drinking plenty of water post-treatment helps to flush out the toxins overall smoother and healthier glow. Common causes of water retention during the summer months are the beaming heat, which causes the body to be less efficient at removing fluid from tissues, hydration is the main key to healthy skin!” says Spa Lead Tamra Spier at Hilton Orlando’s eforea spa Treatment: Beach Body Contouring Wrap is designed to get travelers ready for the beach, lemon and lime team up with seaweed and micronized green coffee to slim, tone and breakdown fat. Our favorite product to use at home: 1907 Alkaline Water  6 tips to avoid these summer skin problems via @agirlsgottaspa Sunburned body Expert Tip: “One of the most important recommendations I give after sunbathing is to rinse your body with fresh water to remove salt and/or chlorine from the skin. These two elements will dry the skin quickly. The skin is incapable of producing water, only oils, so during summertime it is imperative to consume plenty of water; your skin will really appreciate it.” – Frank Garcia, Spa Director at Fort Lauderdale Marriott Harbor Beach Treatment: The Anti-Aging Massage uses a Swedish technique combined with a plant based anti-aging massage cream. The cream contains frankincense, which preserves tissue and stimulates collagen synthesis, Roman chamomile to protect skin cells, Mango and Cupuacu butters to nourish and sooth the skin, and plum kernel oil and quinoa oil to fight dehydration.  Our favorite product to use at home: A Girl's Gotta Spa! Body Wash (has 30% soothing aloe) 6 tips to avoid these summer skin problems via @agirlsgottaspa Cracked heels/feet Expert Tip: Wearing sandals too often can crack the skin around your heel. This summer, maintain skin’s elasticity with a mineral exfoliator. It will act like a soap and leave you with a baby soft skin – Christophe Champs, Studio Manager at the Metropole Espa Monte-Carlo. Treatment: The Black Diamond Scrub by Réverence de Bastien (created by Bastien Gonzalez, famed “pedicurist to the stars”) is a mineral foaming scrub combining black diamond, particles of mother of pearl and black volcanic sand for a natural exfoliation that clears away dead skin cells, leaving feet smooth and silky. Our favorite product to use at home: Amope Wet Dry Pedi Foot File  6 tips to avoid these summer skin problems via @agirlsgottaspa Chapped Lips, Wind-Burned Face Expert Tip: “Use chamomile tea to soothe and relieve some of the discomfort of sunburned or wind burned skin. The chamomile tea tannins offer anti-inflammatory properties that relieve the sense of burn and make you feel calm. I fill a spray bottle with cold tea and spray tea directly on the skin or for sensitive areas around the eyes, use teabags and place them over the eyes.” – César Sánchez, Spa Manager – Costa Rica Marriott Hotel San Jose Treatment: The Antioxidant Facial is an oxygenating, anti-aging facial that utilizes ingredients brimming with antioxidants, including an application of natural ingredients rich in protein, vitamins, minerals and botanical extracts, to refresh and hydrate sun- and wind-burned skin, combat premature aging, disrupt hyperpigmentation and provide skin with a healthy glow. Our favorite product to use at home: Lasting Smiles Lip Balm and Teami Skinny Tea 6 tips to avoid these summer skin problems via @agirlsgottaspa Dehydrated/Flaky Skin Expert Tip: “After a hot shower, cleansed skin is more receptive to getting hydrated using Thermotherapy. For dehydrated skin, use a hydrating serum for the face and neck. Soak a towel in warm water, cover the face and rest for five minutes. Then apply hydrating lotion, soak a face towel in iced water, cover and rest for five minutes. Skin feels hydrated, tighter and firmer.”  – Michelle Arce, Marketing Director at Zen Spa Retreat – Sheraton Puerto Rico Hotel & Casino Treatment: For dehydrated skin, the Deep Skin Hydrating Booster Treatment uses a combination of peeling, ionization and thermotherapy of marine collagen and hyaluronic acid to instantly plump skin cells with extra moisture, restore smoothness and enhance skin's suppleness. Our favorite product to use at home: Block Island Organics Revitalizing Night Cream Subscribe to A Girl’s Gotta Spa! beauty blog. Watch our reviews on YouTube, see our pins on Pinterest and check us out on Instagram. Got a Kindle? We’re on Kindle too!

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5 Sun-Kissed Summer Prep Tips For Glowing Skin

Shannon Smyth
6 Sun-kissed summer prep tips for glowing skin via @agirlsgottaspa If you're looking to get your skin Summer-ready, read on for tips from spas that give some skin advice you'll want to start using ASAP. Inflammation, Environmental Irritant Damage Tip: The wound healing herb, Calendula, is traditionally known to reduce inflammation and soothe irritation.  Create an at-home face mist, combine dried Calendula flowers and oats in a French press, letting it steep in boiled distilled water for 10 minutes.  Once cool, pour into spray bottle and spritz face liberally for soft and hydrated skin. – Barbara Close, Founder at Naturopathica Chelsea Healing Arts Center & Spa Treatment: Perfect for those ready to escape the urban city and head to the beach, the Bio-Energy Lift Facial treatment uses a combination of liquid microdermabrasion technology with advanced skincare formulas to re-energize and remineralize the skin by replenishing oxygen consumption while repairing and protecting the skin from free-radical damage and environmental irritants. Our favorite product to use at home: A Girl's Gotta Spa! Energizing Citrus Body Wash (ingredients include calendula, aloe and other plants.) 6 Sun-kissed summer prep tips for glowing skin via @agirlsgottaspa Dull Complexion Expert Tip: “I love a good body scrub to eliminate the accumulation of dead skin cells and get that healthy glow in the summer. To maximize results, scrub with a body brush in circular movements then apply coco oil which provides deep hydration and promotes the removal of dead cells to brighten a dull complexion.” – Nicole Courrau, Spa Manager at Sibö Rainforest, Spa & Retreat – Los Sueños Marriott Ocean & Golf Resort Treatment: The Well-being Body Massage begins with a dry body brushing to remove dead skin, oxygenate outer layers of tissue and stimulate the lymphatic system. Native coconut oil is applied using flowing movements, soothing the body and renewing the skin with a relaxing massage. Our favorite product to use at home: A Girl's Gotta Spa! Energizing Citrus Salt Scrub 6 Sun-kissed summer prep tips for glowing skin via @agirlsgottaspa Cellulite Tip: “Caffeine is to cellulite as Kryptonite is to Superman: its worst enemy. Recycle those coffee grounds and give yourself a daily scrub followed by a rich moisturizer to combat those lumps and bumps." Sharla Martin, Spa Director at The Windsor Court Hotel Treatment: Summer Regal Retreat - A detoxifying treatment that begins with dry brushing of the body to release toxins, followed by an invigorating full body coffee scrub and steam shower to slough all the unwanted dead skin from your body. The transformational effect finishes with a stimulating ginger oil massage and spine revitalizing mask. Our favorite product to use at home: Svelta Coffee Sugar Scrub  6 Sun-kissed summer prep tips for glowing skin via @agirlsgottaspa Premature aging, collagenases Tip: Banana- This powerful fruit isn’t just good for eating, but can also be used as a creamy face mask. Mash one banana up with a teaspoon of orange juice and a teaspoon of plain yogurt, and leave it on for 15 to 20 minutes. The vitamin A will help fade dark spots and blemishes, while vitamin B will prevent aging, and potassium will moisturize and hydrate skin cells. – Albert Cruz, Spa Manager at Hilton Aruba Caribbean Resort & Casino’s eforea spa Treatment: The Age Defyer Facial uses powerful skin-illuminating botanicals, a multi-acid peel, brightening facial serum, and unique cooling masque; leaving skin lighter, brighter, and more refined. Our favorite product to use at home: We also love this DIY banana facial mask Brittle hair, dry scalp Tip: Whip an egg white thoroughly along with two tablespoons of lukewarm water. Apply the mixture to your damp hair and scalp and massage with your fingertips in a circular motion for 15 minutes. Then shampoo your hair with cool water. Do this once or twice a week, depending on the condition of your hair. – Albert Cruz, Spa Manager at Hilton Aruba Caribbean Resort & Casino’s eforea spa Treatment: Discover true Caribbean relaxation with the spa’s 110-minute Relax & Reflect body treatment that includes a gentle skin cleanse, relaxing Salt Scrub, hour body massage, and scalp massage complete with a restorative aromatherapy oil blend of sweet orange, palmarosa, and rose geranium. The treatment utilizes ESPA’s all natural and silicone-free Pink Hair & Scalp Mud cream for a mineral-rich conditioning mud mask that leaves hair and scalp feeling soft, smooth, and reinvigorated. Our favorite product to use at home: Keune So Pure Exfoliating Shampoo Subscribe to A Girl’s Gotta Spa! beauty blog. Watch our reviews on YouTube, see our pins on Pinterest and check us out on Instagram. Got a Kindle? We’re on Kindle too!

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A Girl's Gotta Spa! Partners with Lilly's Bathcarry

Shannon Smyth
A Girl's Gotta Spa! partners with Lilly's Bathcarry Lilly's Bathcarry is an online boutique that has been providing luxurious skincare and scent therapy products to customers since 2002. Lilly's Bathcarry has a wide selection of indie, emerging and established brands all with the same singular focus - seeking out the best pampering products on the market. Throughout Lilly's travels, a guilty pleasure has been finding unique skin care and scent therapy products. She would fall in love with a product and when it came time to replenish it, she couldn’t find it anywhere. That’s how Lilly's Bathcarry was born. A Girl's Gotta Spa! is proud to now be sold at Lilly's Bathcarry. Our mission statement is virtually the same, both brands believing - you deserve to be pampered. Go ahead and give them a look! www.lillysbathcarry.com Are you a retailer interested in more information about A Girl’s Gotta Spa! wholesaleopportunities? Please contact us today!

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Smoothie Recipes from the Best Spas

Shannon Smyth
Get swimsuit ready with these amazing smoothies from some of the best spas! via @agirlsgottaspa If you are looking for delicious smoothie recipes from some of the best spas, we've compiled a list for you! So get ready to indulge your tastebuds without expanding your waistline with these vitamin and mineral rich smoothies! Potassium Punch: Set on a 1,100-acre rainforest, Los Suenos Marriott Ocean & Golf Resort fuses tropical fruits from Costa Rica in its SIBO Smoothie. Crafting a potassium-packed concoction, the smoothie features papaya, banana, pineapple, spinach, beets and orange juice. Smoothie Recipe: 1 Tbs Pineapple 3/8 cup Banana 1 Tbs Papaya 1 Tbs Spinach ¼ cup Beets 6 oz Orange Juice 1 scoop ice Get beach body ready with these delicious smoothies from some of the best spas! via @agirlsgottaspa Miami Cleansing: Overlooking panoramic views of Biscayne Bay, travelers staying at Conrad Miami can tap into the Miami lifestyle by ordering the Cleanse and Detox Smoothie that boasts flax seed, apple, spinach, celery, parsley, cinnamon and water. Detox Smoothie Recipe (makes 4 glasses): 1 Cucumber Lemon Juice from 2 Lemons 1 Bunch Parsley 1 Green Apple 2 leaves Kale 1 Stalk Celery 1 tbs Ground Flaxseeds 1/2 tsp Ground Cinnamon Blend all of the ingredients and garnish with a sliced strawberry. Get swimsuit ready with these delicious smoothie recipes from some of the best spas! via @agirlsgottaspa Island Detox: Located off the coast of Puerto Rico, W Vieques Retreat & Spa – Vieques Island is a wellness-focused oasis offering guests a boost of carrot, ginger, orange, and cayenne pepper in its Sunrise Detox smoothie. For hydration under the sun, the property’s Biekes Detox features agua de coco, celery, pineapple, and apple garnished with fresh coconut. Sunrise Detox Smoothie Recipe: One whole orange ½ carrot ½ green apple ½ ginger Blend and top with a dash of cayenne pepper. Garnish glass with carrot string Get beach body ready with these delicious smoothie recipes from some of the best spas! via @agirlsgottaspa Biekes Detox Smoothie Recipe: 4oz. fresh coconut water 1 cup of diced pineapple ½ celery ½ green apple Blend and garnish with fresh coconut shavings. Get beach body ready with these delicious smoothie recipes from some of the best spas! via @agirlsgottaspa Sleeping Blend: Led by Chef Matthew Byrne, Tiger Woods’ former private chef, Hilton West Palm Beach offers vitamin-rich smoothies for guests, sourced from area farms and marketplaces with local fruits, veggies and herbs. Highlights include a sleep-inducing blend of kale, spinach, green apple, coco water, avocado and energizing mixed berry blend with orange juice. Although this Hilton doesn't have an on-site spa, this smoothie recipe is delish! Smoothie Recipe: 1 cup Kale 1 cup spinach 1 Whole apple 6 oz. fresh coconut water ½ Avocado Blend ingredients vigorously. If you try any, let us know what you thought! Subscribe to A Girl’s Gotta Spa! beauty blog. Watch our reviews on YouTube, see our pins on Pinterest and check us out on Instagram and G+. Got a Kindle? We’re on Kindle too!

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Video: A Girl's Gotta Spa! Featured on Beyond the Vanity

Shannon Smyth
Video: A Girl's Gotta Spa! featured on Indian Tyler's Beyond the Vanity LA Talk Live Radio Show #bathandbody #beauty Residents of Los Angeles may be familiar with LA Talk Live radio host, Indian Tyler, for her show Beyond the Vanity on Wednesday at 2pm PST. It's always fun and informative with a lot of beauty, wellness and fitness tips. I couldn't be happier to discover that Ms. Tyler recently featured A Girl's Gotta Spa! natural bath and body products on her show. Since LA Talk Live also Ustream's their radio shows, there's video! Some of the glowing remarks: "The body wash has a very light citrusy smell, it's not overpowering, but when you get in the shower it literally will feel like you are in a spa." "When you put the body lotion on, your skin will feel like butter." "This is a luxurious spa experience right in the comfort of your own home." Don't take my word for it! Watch the video and hear what Ms. Tyler thinks about the products:
To stay in the loop regarding our bath and body line, please subscribe to our mailing list. Also check out our ever growing list of retailers that believe in our mission statement – You Deserve to be Pampered. Interested in becoming a retail partner? Please see our Wholesale page.

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A Girl's Gotta Spa! Energizing Citrus Body Lotion

Shannon Smyth
Video: @agirlsgottaspa Energizing Citrus Body Lotion #beauty #bathandbody You deserve to be pampered. Do you believe that? You should! In this video I talk about A Girl's Gotta Spa! Energizing Citrus Body Lotion, including the ingredients, how it works and what I was looking to achieve in order to meet your needs when creating this beauty brand. This isn't your typical shea lotion and I truly believe it is the best lotion for dry skin (or any skin!) Watch the video for more info: Ingredients: Aqua (Water), Olea Europaea (Olive) Fruit Oil, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea Butter), Theobroma Cacao (Cocoa) Seed Butter, Cetearyl Alcohol (and) Polysorbate 60, Citrus Paradisii (Pink Grapefruit) Peel Oil, Phenoxyethanol (and) Caprylyl Glycol (and) Sorbic Acid, Citrus Limon (Lemon) Peel Oil, Citrus Latifolia (Lime) Oil, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis (Orange) Peel Oil. Facts: Vegan, 94% natural, certified cruelty free, and made in the USA. Where to buy: www.agirlsgottaspa.com/store, and Amazon.com. See our website for a full list of retailers. Sign up for our product newsletter and receive 10% off your first purchase: http://eepurl.com/ODuT1 (Can only be used directly on agirlsgottaspa.com) Please leave a comment if you've used it!

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A Girl's Gotta Spa! Natural Bath and Body Products on Amazon

Shannon Smyth
Reviews on Amazon for @agirlsgottaspa Energizing Citrus Body Lotion. #natural #crueltyfree #vegan A Girl's Gotta Spa! natural bath and body products on Amazon.com. Energizing Citrus Body Lotion. @agirlsgottaspa A Girl's Gotta Spa! natural bath and body products can now be found on Amazon.com via Lock & Mane. I'm beyond thrilled at the exponential growth we're having with our retail partnerships! Amazon.com strives to be Earth's most customer-centric company where people can find and discover virtually anything they want to buy online. I honestly don't know a single person who hasn't shopped Amazon at least once. Now that A Girl's Gotta Spa! can be found on this expansive e-commerce platform, the potential to reach more eco-conscious consumers looking for a naturally luxurious and cruelty free body care brand is endless. A Girl's Gotta Spa! natural bath and body products on Amazon.com. Energizing Citrus Body Wash @agirlsgottaspa To stay in the loop regarding our bath and body line, please subscribe to our mailing list. Also check out our ever growing list of retailers that believe in our mission statement – You Deserve to be Pampered. Looking to sell A Girl's Gotta Spa! wholesale in your spa? Please contact us!

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A Girl's Gotta Spa! - My Aha Moment

Shannon Smyth

Shannon Smyth, CEO of A Girl's Gotta Spa! Watch the video of #myAhamoment #beauty #entrepreneur #startup I'm very grateful for the opportunity Mutual of Omaha gave me to put #myahamoment on video. I'm also very grateful for all of you that have continued to support the concept of You Deserve to Be Pampered by purchasing A Girl's Gotta Spa! natural bath and body products.

I hope the video helps you to get to know who I am better and how my goal has, and always will be, to help you. You can also read in more detail the full story behind launching A Girl's Gotta Spa! bath and body products. Watch the video and let me know what you think in the comments! 

A Girl's Gotta Spa!'s, Shannon Smyth, #myahamoment video #beauty #bathandbody

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Subscribe to A Girl’s Gotta Spa! beauty blog. Watch our reviews on YouTube, see our pins on Pinterest and check us out on Instagram and G+. Got a Kindle? We’re on Kindle tooShannon on G+

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DIY Body Mask and Scrub Balinese Inspired

Gail Lewis

#DIY Body Mask and Scrub - Balinese inspired! #Bali #Beauty

A couple of weeks ago I had the pleasure of visiting a coffee plantation in the Kintamani region of Bali thanks to my fiancé's obsession with the Luwak Coffee that is produced in this region.  The plantation we visited not only produced Luwak Coffee, but also produced ginger, turmeric and a host of other spices, fruits and vegetables. At some point in the tour I mentioned to our guide that my sister and I have been using coffee grounds as a scrub for a few years now and it is still one of my favorite DIY body scrubs.  Our guide in turn told me that a lot of the women in that area also use coffee grounds as a scrub as well, but they combine it with ginger powder, turmeric powder and coconut oil for paste/scrub that is great for your skin.   According to our guide, the ginger powder warms up your skin leaving it glowing and radiant, the turmeric powder has a host of skin benefits including skin brightening and stretch mark reduction and the coconut oil moisturizes your skin leaving it soft and supple. I would advise combining the coffee grounds, turmeric and ginger powder and coconut oil with a bit of water to form more of a paste that you can let sit on your skin for around 20 minutes or so.  Then use a bit of water to moisten the paste and exfoliate your skin.  This DIY mask/scrub is super easy to create and you may actually have all of the ingredients that you need in your pantry at this very second.  I will warn that things can get bit messy with this mask/scrub so definitely do this in the shower and be prepared to spend a couple of minutes rinsing out your shower/tub. Messiness aside this mask/scrub is definitely worth the effort for the soft, glowing, moisturized skin that you'll have afterwards! Leave a comment if you give it a try! Subscribe to A Girl’s Gotta Spa! for more beauty reviews! Watch our reviews on YouTube. Got a Kindle? We’re on Kindle too!

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