Women learn at an early age (teens and pre-teens) that healthy skin is of the utmost importance, particularly when it comes to the upper body and face area—it’s an idea or notion that’s instilled within women probably from the time of birth. Have you ever noticed how soft a baby’s skin is? TV commercials and magazines are inundated with images of women with healthy, glowing skin, and that beautiful, aesthetically pleasing look that every woman strives to obtain. Some women that fall short of that radiant look, as seen on television, simply use a lot of makeup to achieve that every woman strives to obtain. Women who are naturally blessed with that glowing look don’t use makeup at all, however, they still look for alternate solutions in an effort to compete with other women who are blessed with perfect skin, much like the ones in the TV commercials—it makes you wonder what these people to make their skin look so good. Dermatologists will always tell you that you need to take care of your skin every day, which is everyone’s goal. Obviously it’s a good idea to take care of your skin, after all it’s the only skin you have, and whether you’re a woman or a man, you want to appear healthy and young (just like everyone else.) The sun and its ultraviolet rays can be one of your skin’s worst enemies, and we’re all exposed to it on a daily basis. Of course, your skin is also affected by other elements, such as your job, lifestyle, stress level, and many other factors. If you are the outdoorsy type, for example, you probably need to protect your skin even more than others do. For the most part, women tend to use a lot of cosmetics, makeup, and powders that need to be washed off every day. To some extent, a daily regimen will help maintain the health and youthfulness of your skin. It also prevents skin conditions, ranging from like acne to skin cancer. At the end of the day, you can keep you skin looking youthful and healthy with a daily regimen of scrubbing, cleansing, applying makeup and moisturizer, and then repeating the process all over again. You can maintain the youthful, healthy, elasticity of your skin by following a strict regimen that involves a lot of maintenance. However, in this day and age, everyone wants immediate results, especially in the areas of health and wellness. With major advancements in medicine and technology, people can actually obtain the quick results they want. More recently, scientists and cosmetic surgeons have come up with a more immediate and permanent solution. It’s called vitamin injection. As you can imagine, intravenous vitamin injections are popular among celebrities. Dr. Oz describes them as “cutting edge,” and several advocates say that vitamin injections can benefit serious conditions like cancer, Parkinson’s disease, Fibromyalgia, depression, and a host of other diseases. They’re also touted as helpful for preventing illness as well. A search for vitamin injections brings up a lot of hits and dozens of advertisements as well. Since the concept is so new, it’s difficult to say whether or not injectable vitamins are a cure-all for all of these diseases, however, it may still provide you with healthier skin. One of the more popular forms of vitamin injections is referred to as VitaGlo. VitaGlo is fairly new to the market, and the reviews vary greatly, depending on who writes them. Perhaps the biggest problem that exists today is that providers of vitamin therapies claim that their product can help fight life-threatening illnesses like cancer, which is simply not true. There is no question that vitamin injections are popular. Despite all the hype and all the endorsements, there is still no credible evidence to prove that routine vitamin infusions are necessary or even offer meaningful health benefits (like healthier skin). Just keep in mind that vitamin injections (or injections of any kind) should be done through your doctor or physician. About the expert contributor: Dr. Jeffrey Klein is a dermatologic surgeon based in San Juan Capistrano, CA. Dr. Klein is listed a Diplomat for the American Board of Dermatology, the American Board of Internal Medicine, and the American Board of Cosmetic Surgery. Subscribe to A Girl’s Gotta Spa! 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! Shannon on G+

Blackheads. Simply put - they are the bane of our existence. Our teen years are when our pores become defined, which is dependent on using the right skin care products and using them consistently. How we take care of our face during our teen years determines how large or small our pores will be (mainly just how much they'll hold tightly to dirt and debris as we age), but yet it is during these same years that we seem to lack the knowledge (and motivation) to implement a preventative beauty routine that will save us the grief from our older selves.

Since I can't turn back time, all I can do now is learn how to properly extract and remove blackheads, and try to minimize just how often those little skin pockets fill up with gunk. If you are younger and reading this, take heed now and do yourself a favor: keep your skin well-maintained.

When I was in college I often went skiing in Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont. I always tell myself that one day I'll get back there (but this time to check out the spas in addition to the skiing!) One of those places is Stoweflake Spa and Wellness Center in Stowe, Vermont. Surinda Oberai Cavanagh, Spa Director and Ayurvedic Consultant at Stoweflake Spa and Wellness Center, offers A Girl's Gotta Spa! readers these tips to stay stress free and glowing this holiday season. Tips for a Stress-Free Holiday Season

• Begin your day with a large glass of warm or hot water. This is great for hydration and cleansing the digestive system.
• Before you bathe, generously apply a high quality massage oil (Sarada Ayurvedic massage oil) to your entire body. Use minimal soap. This practice will calm and coat your nervous system, nourish and hydrate your skin and leave you feeling warmer when the cold winds blow this season.
• Eat your main meal between 10:00 AM and 2:00 PM. This is when your digestive system is most efficient. This will minimize holiday weight gain.
• Have warm milk with nutmeg before bed. This is a wonderful evening routine and nutmeg is a very effective sedative.

Facial Glow Tips for the Holidays

• Make sure you moisturize your face each day before heading out in to the elements with a heavy winter moisturizer or facial oil. This will protect against the drying effects of the winter weather.
• Take a teaspoon of turmeric in raw honey internally for its anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial properties.
• Make sure you exercise to the point of breaking a sweat. This will ensure your lymphatic system is stimulated.

Try this at home facial mask to cleanse and exfoliate daily. Simple Holiday At-Home Mask

• 3 Teaspoons raw honey
• ½ Teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 Teaspoon whole plain yogurt
• Mix together and apply to face and neck. Leave on for 8-10 minutes and then rinse with warm water.

If you try any of these, let us know how they work for you! Subscribe to A Girl’s Gotta Spa! for more beauty reviews! 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! Shannon on G+

Whether your next vacation be relaxing on the beach, touring cities in Europe, or just going to your families, you should never forget about your skin. High-end skin care brands rarely put out economy size products, but many of them downsize into fabulous travel sets and starter kits. Not only do these A-list products travel well, but they create an opportunity to sample luxury lines at a lower cost. “Maintaining your skin regime while on vacation is essential to keeping your skin beautiful. Be sure to toss your products into your carry-on, just in case your luggage ever gets lost,” says Dr. David E. Bank, Founder and Director of the Center for Dermatology, Cosmetic & Laser Surgery. Dr. Bank’s 4 tips for flawless skin while traveling: · Cleanse your face daily. You need to wash off the cellular debris that can collect while sitting in a stuffy airplane or even riding in the car. A new environment means new toxins and sometimes our skin will absorb these, so be sure to wash them off. · Use a toner that helps balance the PH levels in your skin. This prepares the skin for your moisturizer and helps the moisturizer work more efficiently. · Moisturize! Lower humidity levels will dry your skin making those fine lines and wrinkles appear more prominent than they really are. · Use products containing Antioxidants. This is the main line of defense against free radicals. Choose a light gel or serum formulation so you aren’t clogging your pores. What are some of your favorite products that you use when traveling to keep your skin properly hydrated? Subscribe to A Girl’s Gotta Spa! for more beauty reviews! 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! Shannon on G+

Traveling has so many benefits: it’s educational, it allows you to experience things you wouldn't in your home country and it gives you the opportunity to meet people from around the globe. Perhaps best of all, it offers you a different perspective on life and how it’s lived. However, being on the road, or in the air for that matter, can also take its toll on your mind and body. Waking up at the crack of dawn to catch a flight, driving a few hundred miles, or being forced to spend a night in an airport can leave you feeling tired and in desperate search of some under-eye concealer. Luckily, there are a number of little tricks and tips to keep yourself looking young while you travel. Here are some suggestions for your next trip: Use the right products For those of you who don’t naturally leap out of the bed at 6am, do not despair. There are heaps of revolutionary skin care products out there to make you look like a true ‘morning person’. Anti-wrinkle eye cream, moisturizer with SPF and under-eye concealers are designed to make your skin look immune to the effects of time. Use eye cream to freshen up the skin around your eyes, and if you can, get reflective under-eye concealer to make you look more awake. Moisturizer with SPF is essential for the rest of the face, as increased time in the sun (one of the best parts of traveling) can speed up the appearance of wrinkles and other signs of aging. It’s important to protect yourself from those harsh UV rays. Go back to basics Taking off your makeup and washing your face every night might be part of your routine at home, but when you’re on the road, these pre-bedtime beauty rituals are often the first to go. Fight that desire to rest your head without clearing your face first. Going to bed with makeup on will only make you look and feel worse in the morning. If you can’t fit your makeup remover or face wash in your travel bag, use a dab of moisturizer to remove your eye makeup and rinse your face with mineral water. Get creative When you’re on the road, you often don’t have access to all the skincare products you’d like. That’s when it’s time to get creative. Grab a lemon at the next grocery store or fruit market you see and use the juice to freshen up your face. Applying two tablespoons of lemon juice to your face for just ten minutes has been shown to actually help promote new cell growth. This is a great activity when you’re back at the hotel for the night and you’re ready to relax. Plus, it will make your skin smell citrusy fresh! Treat your hair right Your hair is another area that can have a rough time of it when you’re traveling. Extra virgin olive oil mixed with your conditioner is just the ticket to help revitalize those tired locks. Leave the mixture in for a good five or ten minutes before you rinse and you’ll be surprised at the difference you’ll see. Get out there The final secret: you’re already doing it! Traveling alone has been shown to help people of all ages look and feel younger - so you’re already on the right track. With all the unexpected adventures you encounter when you travel, it’s no wonder avid travelers report to feeling young at heart, regardless of their age. So keep feeling young on the inside, and it’s bound to show! Subscribe to A Girl’s Gotta Spa! for more beauty reviews! 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! Shannon on G+ *Disclosure: Olay Arabia provided some exclusive insights to make this post possible. All opinions and content are my own.

What was once used solely for herbal remedies and medicinal purposes is now taking on a new twist in the beauty and skincare world. Spices are what Cirque Boutique/Beauty Cirque founder, Rianna Loving is indulging in this winter to help keep skin pristine and hydrated.

Rianna advises to head to the kitchen cupboard (or local spice market) for additional flavor to include in your next beauty mask!

Cayenne Pepper
½ Ripped Avocado
1 teaspoon of cayenne pepper (if you have sensitive skin, use 1/2 teaspoon)
1 teaspoon of raw cocoa powder

Directions: Mix raw cocoa powder and cayenne pepper then blend avocado into mix until the texture is smooth.

Use it to: Increase blood flow and circulation and fight off breakouts. Enriched with vitamins A and C, beta-carotene, antioxidants and additional necessary nutrients to provide a healthy immune and digestive system.

Paprika
1 tablespoon of jojoba oil
½ tablespoon of almond meal
1 teaspoon of Paprika

Directions: Mix paprika and almond meal in a bowl then slowly pour jojoba oil into the mixture. Blend until all ingredients are evenly combined.

Use it to: Brighten complexion, treat and prevent age spots and protect skin from damaging effects of pollutants and environmental factors. Paprika is also high in Iron and Beta-Carotene, known to aid in preventing wrinkles.

Turmeric
1 cup of coconut oil
1 tablespoon of turmeric
1/2 cup of shea butter

Directions: Apply coconut oil and shea butter in bowl, mix well until smooth then slowly apply turmeric and blend well until all is even.

Use it to: Even out wrinkles and limit stretch marks. It also heals acne and has great anti-inflammatory properties. Turmeric’s active ingredient, curcumin is known to have potential anti-cancer properties and is a popular anti-aging ingredient in beauty.

When a food item gets its own year, that has to mean that it's pretty amazing.  In the case of quinoa, the Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations (FAO) has officially declared that the year 2013 be recognized as, "The International Year of the Quinoa." By now you might have heard that quinoa is another one of these "super foods" that you should be incorporating into your diet (which is super easy to do given how versatile it is.)  I use it as a substitute for other grains such as rice and pasta, in my salads and as a breakfast porridge.  There are dozens of other ways quinoa can also be used, I personally am looking forward to using it for baking , for making a vegan quinoa burger and since the holiday season is upon us I am thinking of ways to incorporate it into stuffing etc. Simply perform a Google search for quinoa and you will get tons of results on the health benefits of quinoa, which includes (to name a few); quinoa  is a source of complete protein, it is a good source of dietary fiber and phosphorus and is high in magnesium and iron. It is also a source of calcium, and thus is useful for vegans and those who are lactose intolerant.   It is also gluten-free and easy to digest.  These are all pretty amazing reasons to consume this super food, but from a beauty standpoint quinoa is practically a miracle food for the skin. Quinoa contains lysine, an essential amino acid for human skin, which is used in the production of elastin and collagen. Lysine is an essential nutrient which cannot be synthesized by the body, hence it must be provided by the diet. It aids in the quick healing of damaged tissue, making it very important for people who are recovering from any surgery or injury.  It also helps to create scar tissue and ligaments for quick recovery.  Quinoa contains high levels of riboflavin which provides elasticity to the skin to give it the required softness and resiliency. It also builds up connective tissue to tone the skin and prevents wrinkles and fine lines. Consumption of quinoa seeds provides the body with collagen which rejuvenates the skin from within and reduces wrinkles and other symptoms of ageing. It makes the skin soft, smooth and supple. There are Vitamins in quinoa that decreases clustering of melanin granules to reduce brown spots and pigmentation. and if that is not enough, quinoa also helps to decrease sebum production and treats acne.  See I wasn't kidding when I said miracle food! I usually purchase a 4lb bag of quinoa from Costco, which lasts me for a pretty long time since the bag contains 42 servings.  If you go to Pinterest and search Quinoa, the amount of recipes that show up can almost be overwhelming so go ahead and get crazy and creative with your quinoa exploration! Subscribe to A Girl’s Gotta Spa! 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!

A Girl's Gotta Spa! even from the comfort of her own home. Many days are often spent in the kitchen during the holiday season whipping up treats to delight the palate. Why not take a few extra minutes to create a DIY spa treatment to refresh and brighten your skin? As Irving Berlin says, "May your days be merry and bright!" As cooler weather arrives and brings dry skin in need of a little boost, these easy do-it-yourself at-home spa treatments from Director of Spa Operations at The Claremont Hotel Club & Spa, Stacey Parks,will brighten up your winter days and make you feel fantastic for the holidays and to start your new year! For the Face: To enliven and brighten your skin, mix a quarter cup of plain yogurt and 2-3 tablespoons lemon or orange juice. Apply to the face and relax for about 15 minutes. Wash off with luke-warm water to a youthful glow! For the Feet: Detoxify your system and rejuvenate tired feet with this soothing soak. Add a quarter cup Epsom salt, a quarter cup sea salt, and a half cup baking soda to hot water and stir until dissolved. You can customize with your favorite essential oil for aromatherapy and softening, or add juniper berries or green tea to increase the detoxification properties. Soak for 20-30 minutes. Use a dry brush or loofah to further scrub away impurities, and then apply a soothing aloe gel or coconut oil. For the Body: To exfoliate and soothe dry skin, mix 3-4 tablespoons freshly shredded ginger to a quarter cup coconut or olive oil, and a half cup brown sugar. This simple but effective and delicious smelling scrub can be used in the shower and is stimulating and warming, and will leave your skin soft and silky. Subscribe to A Girl’s Gotta Spa! for more beauty reviews! 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! Shannon on G+ *Disclosure

The holiday season is fast approaching and menu ideas are being finalized. You don’t want to have to sacrifice great skin for great food. Glowing skin and delish foods can be mutually exclusive. Dr. David E. Bank, director and founder of The Center for Dermatology, Cosmetic & Laser Surgery, reveals the five best foods you can eat this holiday season that not only are delicious, but are great for your skin. From diminishing wrinkles to helping dry skin, Dr. Bank sheds light on surprising foods that will keep your skin glowing and healthy through the holiday season.

HOLIDAY FOODS FOR GLOWING SKIN

KALE

This green veggie is the at top of the list when it comes to beauty foods. Kale is full of antioxidants that are a great way of reducing wrinkles because they slow down the ageing process. Kale also contains Vitamin A, which is essential for the health of your skin. It has been proven to be helpful in averting a host of skin diseases as well. Kale is a very good cleanser for your skin because it detoxifies your body leaving you with healthy, glowing skin outside.

PUMPKIN

The vibrant orange color of this squash indicates that it’s loaded with beta carotene, a powerful antioxidant. This gets converted to Vitamin A which helps prevent wrinkles and keep your skin youthful and moisturized. This is the perfect food if you are experiencing dry skin because of the cold weather. Pumpkin is also loaded with Vitamin C, another antioxidant that protects collagen and boosts our immune systems.

SWEET POTATOES

In just one sweet potato you will find more than 200% of the recommended daily value of Vitamin A. Vitamin A is important for having amazing skin, because it promotes the growth of new skin cells and increases the rate at which this happens, which leaves you with vibrant skin. Also, from a sweet potato, you’ll get three grams of fiber which keeps your digestive tract healthy and functioning properly during the season of eating. A healthy and functioning digestive track can help keep your breakouts to a minimum.

CARROTS

Carrots are not only good for your eyes but that are also amazing for smooth skin. Our skin is up against a lot of environmental factors every day like sun radiation and toxins, which combined with stress, leads to weakened defense against damaging free radicals that attack our skin. Carotenoids, found in carrots, are your protection from these everyday pollutants and will prevent wrinkles.

OLIVE OIL

Olive oil contains four major antioxidants which allow it to work as a cleanser and moisturizer. Among these antioxidants are Vitamin A and Vitamin E, Vitamin E accounts for anti- aging benefits because it helps restore skin elasticity. Try: A Girl's Gotta Spa! olive oil body lotion Olive oil penetrates into the skin without clogging pores. Another benefit of this cooking aid is that it is useful as an exfoliator when mixed with sea salt and rubbed into the body. The mild abrasive qualities of the sea salt, combined with the deep, penetrating action of the oil, will remove dead skin cells and leave the skin looking renewed and glowing. So, you now have our permission to indulge (for the sake of your skin!) Subscribe to A Girl’s Gotta Spa! for more beauty reviews! Watch our reviews on YouTube, see our pins on Pinterest and check us out on Instagram.

Psoriasis is a chronic, non-contagious, and often painful skin disease that causes the cells of the dermis, or skin, to reproduce more rapidly than normal. The condition causes reddish, round scaly skin patches to develop on the knees, hands, feet, elbows and scalp.