This luxury facial cleanser makes skin feel amazing! I've been using Reflekt Skincare for the last 6 weeks about 2-3 times per week. In the summer, a regular cleanser alone won't do the trick to thoroughly rid my skin of all the "gunk" that warmer weather brings when wearing makeup, sunscreen, etc. You really don't need much, don't be fooled by the above image, that was just to show the texture of this exfoliant. I made a super quick video to review it, take a look (and give it a thumbs up!) You can purchase Reflekt on Amazon. 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: press sample, affiliate link

Sponsored by AmLactin Skin Care

  We all know that getting older comes with pros and cons. Older and wiser (that's a definite), knowing who you are and what you want... and then all those lovely skin issues. Dark spots, wrinkles, and other fun skin ailments like eczema, psoriasis, and Keratosis Pilaris are exacerbated by dry skin. So what are those of us with aging skin to do? According to data from a 2015 national online survey of over one thousand U.S. women over the age of 18: Nearly two-thirds of U.S. women report that the older they get, the more difficult it is to keep their skin moisturized. (Yes, this is me.) U.S. women feel an average of six years older when their skin is dry and dull. (Ugh, me again.) 56% of women report being just as concerned about the signs of aging from the neck down as they are about the signs of aging on the face. (Truth.) Can you also relate to those statistics? I recently tried out AmLactin Skin Care's line of products that have been trusted by dermatologists for over 20 years. With its unique combination of exfoliating alpha-hydroxy acids and hydrating humectants, AmLactin moisturizers smooth away roughness to reveal smooth, healthy-looking skin. In this video I discuss AmLactin Ultra Hydrating Body Cream for my Keratosis Pilaris (a skin issue that I'm often embarrassed by), AmLactin Foot Cream, Moisturizing Body Lotion and my absolute fave, Cerapeutic Restoring Body Lotion. AmLactin products are non-greasy, fragrance free and work as an exfoliating + hydrating lotion. Would you like to try AmLactin Skin Care for FREE? Follow these steps to enter my Soft Skin Giveaway:

1. Visit AmLactin’s website and look at each product.
2. In the comments section below, tell me how your skin has changed over the years AND provide a link to the AmLactin product you’d most like to try by August 24, 2016 at 11:59pm EST.

On August 25th, I will randomly pick one commenter to receive $100 worth of AmLactin products! WINNER: Stephanie Liske *Giveaway is open to United States residents only. Product and shipping provided by AmLactin Skin Care. No cash or product substitutes. AmLactin and A Girl's Gotta Spa! have the right to cancel this giveaway at any time. Void where prohibited. Check out AmLactin's social channels: Facebook Twitter YouTube 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! Uncover smooth, radiant skin with AmLactin Alpha-Hydroxy Skin Care. Its unique exfoliating and hydrating alpha-hydroxy therapy gently removes dead skin cells to reveal soft, hydrated skin. It’s the difference between skin care and skin therapy. AmLactin moisturizers are available on Amazon.com and at your local Target, CVS, Walgreens, Costco, Walmart and Rite Aid. This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of AmLactin Skin Care. The opinions and text are all mine.

In the skin department, Summer usually means oilier than normal skin for me. Which also means clogged pores, and at times, acne prone skin accompanied by dehydrated and irritated skin thanks to time spent in the sun and insane amounts of sunscreen. One of the best ways that I deal with summer skin issues is by relying pretty heavily on face masks.  For me, it's just easier to introduce face masks intended to treat my particular skin woes than to change my entire skincare routine; plus masks always makes an at-home facial feel incredibly indulgent. Two masks that I just recently discovered just in time for summer are the African Black Soap Clarifying Mud Mask and the Raw Shea Butter Hydrating Mud Mask from SheaMoisture.  Mud masks are great for oil absorption, pore-clearing and overall skin detoxification, combined with an ingredient like shea butter which is both hydrating and restorative, SheaMoisture Mud Masks are basically your best skincare weapon against summer skin issues. I love using the  Hydrating Mud Mask whenever my skin feels dry and dehydrated.  It leaves my skin feeling both moisturized and soothed.  The Clarifying Mud Mask is great for when my skin is clogged thanks to heat, humidity, sweat and sunscreen.  The Clarifying Mud Mask unclogs my pores and leaves my skin feeling smooth and refreshed. Using these masks on a weekly basis, depending on my skin needs, has enabled me to avoid irritated, clogged, oily, acne prone skin so far this summer! I love them! I'd love to know if you've tried them! Leave a comment! 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: press sample

Disclosure: Thanks to RoC® Daily Resurfacing Disks, I'm getting taking care of my skin as part of a sponsored post for Socialstars #WomenWhoRoC

Are you looking for a simple way to cleanse and exfoliate your skin all in one beauty product? Do you have fine lines, wrinkles and sun damaged skin? Then you may want to consider the Daily Resurfacing Disks from RoC®. I've been using it daily for the last few weeks and found it an easy product to incorporate into my skin care routine. RoC® Daily Resurfacing Disks are gentle enough to be used everyday and are intended to help diminish the look of fine lines (after one week), diminish the signs of photoaging (after 4 weeks) and over time reduce the appearance of wrinkles and pores (12 weeks.) One side of the disk is smooth and the other side is textured with little bumps to exfoliate the skin. The exfoliation isn't rough, but I LOVE using it on my nose and chin area where I have blackheads. I've definitely noticed a difference with my blackheads becoming less noticeable... which means my large pores on my nose are less noticeable because they are not filled with gunk. (Eww.) The Daily Resurfacing Disks can also be used as a makeup remover, however, I have only used it to remove the makeup on my face and not my eye makeup due to how foamy the disks are. I do use it *around* my eyes, though, where my crows feet are (very carefully.) The disks are self-foaming, but soap free (and oil free, hypoallergenic and non-comedogenic.) They are fragranced, but not any more so than other facial cleasers I've used. In this pic I am not wearing concealer or primer so that you can see just how sun damaged it is. The spots on my nose are not pores, but hyperpigmentation (although I do have large pores, but you can't see them because this stuff works really, really well!) If you read my blog regularly, I am always saying that I am paying for the skin sins of my youth when I didn't wear sunscreen on my face. This is the proof. You guys. Wear sunscreen. I do know that fading sun damage does take some time, especially to the extent that I have it. I'm looking forward to seeing a difference. I haven't used it for 4 weeks yet (just 2.5), so hoping that consistent use will render visible results with that issue. Like I mentioned earlier, I do see a difference in the appearance of my pores due to the exfoliation and the really fine lines have softened a bit due to the moisturizing nature of this product. Would love to know if you've tried them or have any questions! Leave a comment! 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!

Did you know that your skin needs different skin care products not only based on your skin type, but also based on the region you live in? It's true. For example, your needs will be different in the dry-heat of Nevada than say someone who lives a place with high humidity, like Florida. Or in a city full of environmental pollutants like smog versus a rural small town. I live in a high elevation up in the Pocono Mountains, which contributes to crazy dry skin (body, face, scalp) in the Fall and Winter, and oily skin from constant cleansing due to humidity in the Summer (I think Spring is the only season we catch a break around here.)  I recently reviewed Silk Therapeutics Purely Smooth daily firming complex, which works much like a primer to smooth out skin imperfections. One of the recommendations when using this product, is to use one of their Nurture facial moisturizers after applying Purely Smooth. Nurture comes in three variations to best suit your skin's needs: Nurture for oily/combination skin, Nurture+ for normal to dry skin and Nurture++ for dry skin. Right now, my skin needs that intense hydration, so I'm using Nurture++. However, as Summer approaches, I'll need to switch to Nurture, which is a mattifying lotion. Silk Therapeutics has a skin care quiz you can take to find the right products for you if you are unsure where your skin type lies. All 3 Nurture moisturizers only have 8 ingredients total, all nourishing and just the right amount that your skin needs. One of which is pure silk protein. Nurture++ suprisingly isn't a heavy cream, which most moisturizers for dry skin typically are. It's very smooth and creamy, applies easily and quickly absorbs. It does really work well with Purely Smooth. I noticed an improvement in my skin's dryness within days of using it (I've been using it for several weeks now.) This is a moisturizer that you can use day and night. I've yet to be disappointed by any of Silk Therapeutics skin care products, and I'm certain you won't be either. 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!

Smooth as silk... that's one way to describe how I'd like my weathered skin to feel. But what if you want to accomplish that without an ingredient heavy product (some of which include chemicals that I can't even pronounce), is that even a possibility? I've used Silk Therapeutics before, so when they asked if I wanted to try their Purely Smooth daily firming complex, I didn't hesitate to say yes. And by the way, Purely Smooth only contains 5 ingredients. Unscented is: water, silk, Vitamin C, rosehip oil and sodium anisate (a natural emulsifier), while Lemongrass swaps rosehip oil out for lemongrass essential oil. I received the Lemongrass, which has a very crisp, clean and lemony aroma. It reminds me of getting a facial at a spa. It comes in a glass jar with a small spatula to scoop the product out with. Avoid using your fingers, as this will introduce bacteria into the jar. One thing I noticed about Purely Smooth in the jar, other than its invigorating scent, is that it looked to have the consistency of tapioca, much like the Renewing Peel I've previously reviewed. While it looked kind of thick and bumpy when I scooped it out, it spreads very thinly on your skin. This product should be applied prior to moisturizer so that there is no barrier between it and your skin. You will literally feel this product working. It's a cross between a light tingling and a sort of "fresh" sensation on your face. It wasn't painful or intrusive and isn't long-lasting, but you are aware of it for a few moments while it sinks into your skin. Also, don't layer it on thick - more will not amplify the effects of the product, in fact, it may cause your skin to flake if you apply too much. You only need a dime-size amount spread evenly to your face and neck. Then apply moisturizer after applying Purely Smooth. Since my hand is a wrinkle-fest, I thought it would be a good way to demonstrate how lines are quickly smoothed using Purely Smooth. It's pretty clear that where I applied Purely Smooth, my skin looks smoother and less "aged" versus where I didn't apply it at all. I hope Silk Therapeutics can make a hand cream like this for old lady hands like mine. This daily firming complex quickly absorbs and dries to a matte finish (which I am grateful for with my combination skin.) What I like about this product is that it contains Vitamin C, which works to boost healthy collagen, as well as fade pigmentation that often creates uneven skin tone. Their pure liquid silk also aids in the smoothing of skin by working with collagen.

(That's not me super-imposed in front of a nice setting, it's actually the view from a large boulder in my front yard!)

What's most noticeable to me after using Purely Smooth is that my forehead is not fraught with fine and deep set lines. The lines between my brows are still there, but I expect that when I'm squinting a little (it was pretty bright out.) I'm happy with how my skin looks after, and like most people, when you see a noticeable difference when you use a product, you're basically assured that it works. I'm in the process of trying out Silk Therapeutics Nuture++ Moisturizer and will have that review in a few weeks. Have you tried anything from Silk Therapeutics? 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!

This post was sponsored by Amopé™ as part of an influencer activation for the #AmopeCrowd and Socialstars™. I received a complimentary product to facilitate this article, but all opinions are my own.

A set daily beauty routine didn't really become a habit until I was in my 30s. When I was a teenager, I didn't really think long term about caring for my skin. I certainly didn't look at cause and effect either (not washing your face = congested skin.) In my 20s, it was much of the same with a few adjustments (I knew moisturizer was a must.) Back in the "olden days" (as my kids like to say), skin care was no frills. We didn't have sonic cleansers or electronic pedicure files. Paper masks weren't a thing and SPF definitely wasn't part of your beauty routine. Something else I recall is that most advertisements and magazine articles focused on facial skin care while the rest of your body suffered the consequences. (I cringe thinking about what my heels looked like for too long.) Once in my 30s and now in my 40s, I love to take care of my skin and view it as a form of wellness and self-care. So here's what my daily and weekly skin and body care look like: Daily A.M. Face Care: Cleanser, toner, 2% BHA treatment, serum, eye cream, Vitamin C treatment, moisturizer with SPF. Daily P.M. Face Care: Makeup remover, sonic skin care tool with cleanser, toner, serum, eye cream, night cream with Retinol. Weekly Face Care: Exfoliator, mask (paper/mud etc.), 4% BHA treatment Daily Body Care: Body wash, lotion (both day and night) Weekly Body Care: Exfoliator (sugar or salt scrub), Amopé™ Pedi Perfect Wet & Dry Rechargeable Foot File (3x week) I have to say that exfoliating is my favorite part of my routine. Not only does it give your skin a mini-massage, but it's kind of mesmerizing to exfoliate away dry, dead skin to reveal skin that is healthier. It's kind of like erasing a few years off. Where my skin care routine in my 20s only included a few items and was mainly focused at the beginning of my day and on my face only, it now includes anti-aging products and body care. I used to only throw some polish on my toes and call it a day. Now I can pamper my feet a few times a week with my Amopé™ Pedi Perfect and watch my skin soak up my lotion, keeping my feet touchably soft. How has your daily beauty routine evolved through the years? Leave a comment and let me know! Follow Amopé™ on Facebook! 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!

I'm trying to be OK with this aging thing. I'm trying not to care about every new wrinkle that emerges (which literally feels like it happens daily.) I'm trying not to notice the loss of elasticity in my face when I see drooping in places that didn't droop yesterday. But here's the thing - with social media basically demanding selfies, it's hard NOT to notice. Especially over time. We're all used to looking at ourselves in the mirror daily, but when you suddenly have a papertrail of photos that basically full-on detail how you're aging, all I can say is UGH. So when new "revolutionary" products come to market that claim to combat the signs of aging, I'm always intrigued. Skeptical, but intrigued. The latest being collagen drinks and supplements. I mean, it makes sense... loss of collagen contributes to the wrinkles, fine lines and sagging skin, so why not drink it to replace what you've lost? Oh if only that was how it works. First and foremost, you should know that the supplement industry is unregulated... so they can make claims without providing proof. Yes, yes, much like the cosmetics industry, but less so which makes it a little bit scarier. According to an article in the New York Times regarding the Attorney General sending a cease and desist letter to major retailers carrying supplements, "The F.D.A. requires that companies verify that every supplement they manufacture is safe and accurately labeled. But the system essentially operates on the honor code. Under a 1994 federal law, supplements are exempt from the F.D.A.'s strict approval process for prescription drugs, which requires reviews of a product’s safety and effectiveness before it goes to market." This cease and desist stemmed from a finding that many supplements don't contain the ingredients they claim to have, such as collagen, and that many unlisted ingredients were fillers (many of which were in the legume family - something that would be deadly to those with a peanut allergy.) Of course, I'm not saying that all supplements do not work or that all supplement brands mislabel or mislead. I know that probiotic supplements work for gut health, but do probiotics work in skin care? Not so much. So I again reached out to trusted friend and fellow beauty blogger, Perry Romanowski for his insight... because I really wanted to delight in some of these collagen drinks that have been sent to me in an effort to look much younger.

"There is no evidence that drinking collagen will have any impact on skin or joints. It doesn't even make sense from a biological standpoint. When you ingest something like collagen your body has enzymes in your digestive system that breaks down the molecule to component amino acids. So from a chemistry standpoint eating collagen protein is no different than eating a hamburger patty. It's just marketing smoke and mirrors. While the manufacturer claims collagen is in the product the consumer has no way of knowing whether it is in there or not. Often, what is claimed to be in a supplement is actually not in there. I would never recommend taking one that wasn't specifically prescribed by a doctor." - Perry Romanowski, The Beauty Brains/Chemists Corner

Sigh. While a healthy diet is still important for your overall health and an abundance of vitamins and minerals do have an effect on some hair and skin care issues, it appears that the best way to tackle anti-aging (temporarily) is still from a topical standpoint. Have anything to add? Leave a comment and let me know! 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!

I love mud masks for my combination skin. Seriously, having an oily t-zone makes your skin feel so dirty already, so why not get messy and clean it up with a little mud? I've had the chance to try out ClarityRx Rehab Mediterranean Detoxifying Mud Mask for about a month now and my skin is feeling amazing. I'll be honest, when I received this 2oz jar, I really thought it was sample or travel size. To my surprise, this is full size. For $27 that's a little on the pricey side, but I'm hesitant to baulk at the pricetag because this mud mask really is fabulous. This mud mask jiggles like jelly in the jar and has a sponge-like feeling when you touch it. When you scoop it with your finger, it's gel-like. It's easy to apply it in a thick layer, and I highly recommend that you do, as it dries relatively quickly. Despite all the adjectives - it is indeed mud, and feels like that once applied. Upon opening the jar, your senses will be transported to the spa. ClarityRx Rehab Mediterranean Detoxifying Mud Mask has all of the ingredients that oily and combination skin types desire: Mediterranean Mud, Dead Sea Mud, Kaolin, Bentonite, and Dead Sea Salt. The very first ingredient is aloe vera gel, which explains the jelly-like texture. I slathered on this mask after cleansing my face. It says to wait about 10-15 minutes before rinsing, but the max I could do was 10 minutes. This mud mask dries incredibly quickly, and as it does, it gets very tight on your skin. I used luke warm water on a wash cloth to wipe it off and it did take a little elbow grease to do so. After rinsing my face, my skin felt baby soft and the oiliness was gone. Success! I then went on with my usual skin care routine, which seemed to amplify how great my skin felt. Instructions state that you can use this mask 1-2 times per week. I only do it once a week so as not to over-dry my skin, which would then send oil production into overdrive and it soon becomes a vicious cycle. I really like this detoxifying mud mask - I just wish it came in a bigger jar! Have you tried it? 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! Disclosure: Product sent by PR, affiliate links.

From October through mid-April there's one thing that is a constant in my mountain home - the thermostat and wood stove are always going. There's a downside to being toasty warm when the winter weather is here: dry skin.

You guys, it gets so bad you could often be confused between the flakes on my legs, the flakes from my scalp and the flakes of the snow variety. Thankfully I have a great body lotion I use to combat the dry skin and my beloved Keune hair products for my scalp. Something I'm more excited about that I've recently added into my beauty and health care, is the Venta Airwasher. I know. Who gets excited about a humidifier and air purifier? This girl. Since I typically use a humidifier that produces hot steam and is fairly small, I realized pretty quickly that the Venta Airwasher is different. Here are the things I took notice of right away:

• The Venta Airwasher LW45 will humidify and purify air in a room up to 800 sqft. - that means it's perfect for a large room like my living room.
• The water tank is huge - 3 gallons! It's not the typical small cylinder I'm used to with my steam humidifier. That means the water tank takes a full 1-3 days before it needs to be refilled (depending on the speed you choose; it has 3.)
• It has two large rotating disk stacks and a fan to create cold evaporation - so no hot steam or mist.
• It is incredibly quiet on speeds 1 and 2; speed 3 is just a low level white noise hum. We like white noise in this house, so it really wasn't noticeable or annoying to myself or my family.
• It doesn't require a filter to purify the air, but you do need to add a water treatment additive. For the LW45 size, it requires the water treatment to be re-added after cleaning every 14 days.

Since this system shouldn't be near a heat source, I set it up on a small table in our living room against a wall without a baseboard. This table is between the stairwell where the heat from the wood stove in our downstairs family room would make its way up and our front door/windows.

In Spring, this will be a great test in terms of how well it purifies all that pollen that makes its way in through the door. My oldest has severe seasonal allergies and I will be thrilled if this helps when he is indoors. (Update: it works amazingly for those with seasonal allergies.)

After the first two weeks of use, I noticed that if we only had the thermostat running and the speed on 1, the water tank didn't need a refill for 3 days. If we had the wood stove + thermostat on, we'd bump up the speed to 2 or 3 and that meant the water would need to be refilled after 24 hours.

Both of these scenarios are much better than my steam humidifier that evaporates all of the water within a very short 8 hours. After 2 weeks, the disk stacks didn't appear dirty or have any build up on them, but the remaining water at the very bottom of the tank was pretty gross. Better at the bottom of the tank than in my air!
After 4 weeks of use, we definitely noticed a difference in terms of less dust floating in the air, no static electricity in the living room area, and the air feeling comfortable and not dry or humid. It was at this point that I noticed mineral buildup on the disks, which are easily cleaned. If you blow up the picture above, you can see it!

We've been using the Venta Airwasher for about 2 months now (update - we're STILL using the Venta 9 years later and it still works as good as day one - and even bought the LW25) and I'm really happy with how it has helped to decrease dry, itchy skin, chapped lips and even the frequency of nose bleeds my sons tend to get due to the dry air.

We're so happy in fact, that my husband and I are considering purchasing smaller versions for each bedroom and my home office (update: we bought more, it works that well.)  I seriously love this thing. A humidifier is probably the last product you're thinking of when adding to your beauty regimen - but it should be one of the first!

Disclosure: Product sent by PR