Little Rock Casino Resort and the Seven Inlets Spa is owned by the Squaxin Island Tribe. This review covers both, as well as the Squaxin Island Tribe Museum Library and Research Center.

There comes a time in every woman's life where you have a revelation, an epiphany, something life-changing that it creates a pivot in your life that you can only "go up from here." While the events leading to it may, or may not have been positive, the upswing absolutely is.

Have you experienced this yet? If you haven't, I promise you, you will.

When deciding what to launch as the next product in the A Girl's Gotta Spa! bath and body line, I tossed around a few ideas in my head, but kept coming back to roll-on perfume.

Perfume is a personal thing. The fragrance you choose to wear is usually representative of your mood or how you want to feel. It's a confidence booster, a mood-lifter, a mark of your identity.

Like many other women in their 40's and beyond, I'm also at that reflective point in my life. You can look back and see turning points. You can point out which stepping stone lead to a rock, which led to a boulder which led to its own mountain. Sometimes the climb up that mountain wasn't always easy, but once you crest the summit, you feel a sense of accomplishment and pride. All of these events mold and shape you and move you up.

Right now the atmosphere is changing for women. There is so much energy it's palpable. It seemed the timing was right to launch something reflective of this.

With both of the above in mind, and the coming of Spring and Summer, a floral fruity fragrance was born. The floral is jasmine sambuc - it's feminine, denotes strength and is oh so pretty. The fruits are grapefruit and orange - a nod to our Energizing Citrus bath and body products, but also a way to brighten and open up this scent. Vanilla bean is the last component to it all, softening it, creating a smoothness and bringing it all together.

Naming this fragrance was pretty simple - I asked all of the women on my personal Facebook to tell me in one word how to describe this combination of notes. Surprisingly, or not, quite a few repeated the same word: Arise.

It stuck and from there the vision of the design began to form in my mind. Movement upward, a blush color, ombre, and soft. The gradient hues of this pink-peach watercolor exhibit rising strength. The font - OMG I LOVE this font - that A is what captured my heart. It's strong, it rises above and its flare represents how sometimes a set back can propel you forward.

Arise feels like an evolution. It comes from such a personal space in my heart to you. I cannot wait for you to try it.

Arise rollerball perfume is vegan and cruelty free and is available now.

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When it comes to exfoliating your skin, typically you either use a physical exfoliant or a chemical exfoliant. Physical being a scrub, like the Reflekt Facial Exfoliator or Andalou Naturals Lemon Sugar Facial Scrub; or with a beauty tool like the Clarisonic. And chemical like Acure's facial peels. But what if you want the best of both worlds? What I like about Beauty Rx By Dr. Schultz's Advanced 10% Exfoliating Pads, is that it is a dual-acting chemical and physical exfoliant. With 10% glycolic acid, it will dissolve the hardened oils clogging pores (my favorite thing for it to tackle) and soften the appearance of fine lines. Whenever I go for a facial at the spa, I always ask for a glycolic mask. It's your skin's best friend. The pad also cleanses skin as you rub it on the areas you want to treat most. The pads themselves are similar in appearance to other cleansing pads I've used, but the formula is vastly different. At 10% glycolic acid, this is a strong acting exfoliant. It's not meant for sensitive skin and the box warns that it is not starter strength. Since my skin is already accustomed to to professional grade glycolic acid, I felt comfortable using it. It did sting the first few weeks when applied, but nothing more painful than if you applied a high formulation of Vitamin C to your skin (which is more annoyance level than actual pain.) For the first week or so, I would swipe the pads across my skin, allow it to sit for about 10 minutes and then rinse it off and apply my usual night cream. By about week 3, I was able to leave it on my skin overnight. What resulted were less random blemishes, pores that weren't as obvious with the usual gunk in them and brighter skin. This is a great product to use in between spa facials. The Advanced 10% Exfoliating Pads are $70 for 50 pads, but well worth it. Dry, oily, normal and combination skin types can use this treatment. It's also paraben and fragrance free and dermatologist tested.  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. Got a Kindle? We’re on Kindle too! Or check out our natural bath and body line!

Essential oils have come a long way in how they are viewed and used. What was once considered an "alternative" therapy, has now become more mainstream. I personally use essential oils in A Girl's Gotta Spa! products, I've worn aromatherapy jewelry, each night my husband and I use our Gurunanda Aromatherapy Diffuser to help us sleep and now portable aromatherapy devices have piqued my interest. OK, OK, before I am corrected...piqued my son's interest. My just shy of 16 year old son, Connor, brought it to my attention. Connor has always dealt with anxiety issues and expressed interest in seeing if a portable aromatherapy device would help. I decided that this would be a product we'd try together, especially since there aren't any studies that show conclusive evidence that drawing in essential oils and vitamins into your mouth via a device like this, offer any true benefit. That said, I also know this it is relatively new ground and essential oils in general have been used forever for their medicinal properties.  First, what is Corked? It's a portable aromatherapy device that diffuses a blend of vitamins (B12), minerals and essential oils. A portable aromatherapy device is not an e-cigarette. There is no nicotine and you do not inhale the blend into your lungs. So how do you use it? You draw in the vapor through the device like you would use a straw, hold it in your mouth for a few seconds and then exhale it through your nose. You will both smell and taste the blend at the same time. If this is your first time using a device like this, you may cough a little or exhale it through your mouth on accident. You only take a max amount of 2-3 puffs per day, up to 3 times per day. Each device lasts approximately 250-300 puffs or about 2 months when used correctly. As you are sucking in the vapor from the device, the end lights up blue so that you know its working. What we thought: I allowed Connor to use Corked only under my supervision and made sure he understood how to and how many times he could use it. There are no formal age restrictions required by law for using this device, however Corked does encourage anyone who may be under 18 to make sure that their parents/guardians are OK with them using it. We also made sure to speak to his psychiatrist first to get his OK to give it a try. He decided to try Trance, Alive and Mindful (their Mix of the Month.) He only used it twice per day - Alive (or Mindful) when he got home from school and Trance about 30 minutes before bed time. He really likes the fragrance of them and had no complaints about taste either. Alive: Lemon, thyme, vanilla, vitamin B12 and 12 other essential oils. Trance: Lavender, sweet marjoram, valerian, vitamin B12 and 11 other essential oils. Mindful: Clary sage, Frankincense, lavender, and ylang ylang. He felt that Trance had the most noticable effect on him, where he felt more relaxed. He told me that each night he used it, he slept through the night (which is uncommon for him) and on the one night he forgot to use it, he woke up that night. As he said to me, "I don't know if that is a placebo effect or real, but either way, it seems to be working for me." (You can tell when a child's mother has their Psych degree because their kids throw around phrases like "placebo effect.") I chose Meditate, Ecstacy and Refresh. My days are often chaotic and require so much adrenaline that it can drain me. I thought these might be a good fit to help make the day feel more stable mood-wise. Meditate: Frankincense, orange, ylang ylang and vitamin B12, plus 16 other essential oils. Ecstacy: Cinnamon leaf, geranium, lemon, vitamin B12 and 9 other essential oils. Refresh: Copaiba, mandarin, turmeric, vitamin B12 and 12 other essential oils. It took a little getting used to for the taste of Meditate, but it did give me a sense of balance. If you love cinnamon, then Ecstacy is for you. I didn't taste/smell the other oils in this one, which is fine because I do like cinnamon. Interestingly, Refresh is meant to help with pain issues, not necessarily perk you up. I have arthritis and bursitis in my hips (yay me), so I definitely welcomed trying something that wasn't a pill. I have to use it more than a few times to see if it really has an effect, so the jury is still out on this one. Aside from these 6, there is also Mix Your Mood where you customize your Corked blend. I like that all of the diffusers, with the exception of the Mix of the Month, have B12 in them. You might want to check out our other post - Do I need to get B12 shots? Many of us are vitamin B12 deficient, and this vitamin is essential for sustainable energy and focus. Now again, I have to mention that there haven't been any studies as to whether or not breathing in B12 has any effect, so can I say conclusively that it worked? No, I can only report how both my son and I felt using the Corked diffusers. This was our first time ever using essential oils in this way and it was interesting. It's definitely easy, doesn't require much of a committment of your time and the packaging is stylish. Essentially anyone can use Corked. However, if you are pregnant or breastfeeding or if you have allergies or sensitivities, you are advised not to use Corked. If you have other health issues, always consult your doctor. Have you tried Corked? I'd love to hear which blend you used and your experience with 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. Got a Kindle? We’re on Kindle too! Or check out our natural bath and body line!

Disclosure: This post was sponsored by Medifast. Opinions are my own.

I began my Medifast journey in October and followed it for 3 months. I remained realistic about losing weight for my age (40's) throughout the whole process and learned a whole lot. As I'm typing this and critiquing my before and after photo, my 16 year old came up behind me and said, "Wow, that's a big difference." To me, the most noticeable difference is when I look at my side profile before and afters and it makes me realize that hard work has paid off. Then I started looking at pictures of me from the holidays and for once, I am happy with how I look. Typically when I take a photo, I'd say "Only take it from mid-chest up" because I was embarrassed about my weight (do you do this, too?) But you can tell from the smile on my face that I genuinely felt confident in my own skin. See for yourself:

My brother and I when I visited him in Utah.

An "ugly sweater" that made me look super cute!

My husband and my boys!

My final results were that I lost 6 pounds and 14 inches. I think you can see from the photos that 14 inches lost makes a big difference! I mainly lost it in my bust, waist, hips and butt. I literally pulled my belt so tight that I had to create new holes just to keep my jeans up! Some things I have learned is what Medifast is really like - the food is good, it sets you up for success and it's not as difficult as it seems. I learned that you can absolutely discover new ways to maintain your diet through the holidays, but that if you have a momentary lapse in judgement due to complete temptation, that you can still sometimes cheat on your diet and lose weight. Lastly, I learned that any time of year can be your motivation to lose weight, not just January 1st. I'm really happy with my results over 3 months and to be honest, it's given me the boost I need to keep going. If you jump onboard, I strongly encourage you to take pictures of yourself along the way. You look at yourself every day and may not realize the weight melting away in different places on your body. But slap up a side by side, and just like me, you'll notice that it is all making a difference. Try 30 days of Medifast with 7 Days of Free Meals included in the first month's order with a renewal plan. Offer expires April 30, 2018 or get $15 Off orders of $150+ with promo code SAVINGS15 at checkout! Some exclusions apply. Offer expires April 30, 2018. Leave a comment and tell me how you did! Here's the complete journey: How to Lose Weight at Home What the First Few Weeks on Medifast are Really Like How Medifast Works How to Stick To Your Diet During the Holidays Can You Cheat on Your Diet and Still Lose Weight? 5 Tips to Lose Weight Right Now *Average weight loss for Medifast Direct® customers using Medifast Go™ is 11 pounds. Medifast Direct customers are in weight loss, on average, for 8 weeks. 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! Or check out our natural bath and body line!

Disclosure: This post was sponsored by Medifast. All opinions are my own.

The first month of the year is synonymous with getting back in the gym, joining a weight loss program and making a resolution for better health. It's viewed as being the month of new beginnings, fresh starts and a clean slate. But for all of the motivation and energy January brings, February and March usually see a sharp decline in momentum. Maybe we set unrealistic goals and are frustrated at the lack of progress achieving them. Maybe it's not as easy as you thought it would be. Maybe real life got in the way. All I know is that I have experienced each one of these hypotheticals myself. Have you? The thing is, no matter what month or season it is, any time can be your January. Why? Because you deserve to be healthy. You deserve to feel better about yourself. You deserve to feel comfortable in your own skin. And you know what? You can decide to make that happen whenever you choose, not when society dictates it. In March, in the middle of a hot August day or right after you have over-stuffed yourself on that secret stash of Halloween candy you've been hiding from everyone. You deserve to say, the time is right now. In fact, I made October of last year my January and began the Medifast Go weight loss program. People thought I was crazy since it was the season of food. Wouldn't I miss out on all of those glorious meals and treats? Wouldn't I feel deprived and miserable? It made me worry, too... can I really do this? But Medifast Go taught me a lot. It's really not just about meal replacement bars, shakes and ready-made meals. If your diet plan makes food the focus, then you're on the wrong weight loss plan... because what happens once you stop? Why, the weight comes back of course. While obviously Medifast's food is the basis for their program, it is not the foundation. Wait, what? The foundation of Medifast is education. This education propels you forward in making a lifestyle change that sticks because it is a guide in understanding food and yourself.  With my month's shipment of meals came a cook book, one that is filled with savory and sweet recipes for a large variety of food. It also showed how to incorporate your Medifast meals into it to really switch things up. I personally am not creative when it comes to the kitchen and let's face it, there's only so many times you can eat soup. The cook book is one of the ways Medifast sets you on the path to success. Then there's the booklet for dining out. It literally lists every chain and popular restaurant you can imagine and tells you which meals you can order to keep you on track. This booklet has been a staple for me because my family only eats out on weekends. And when I want to order from a locally owned restaurant, I simply find a similar menu item on the list. They really make it easy for you. Lastly, there's the food journal, which really makes you accountable to yourself to help you keep on track. Combining these tools with the food you'll be eating aid in changing how you eat going forward. I don't know about you, but it's not neccessarily food that is my problem, but the way in which I eat. My mindset, habits and lifestyle choices. I value a program like Medifast Go that takes those things into account and makes them an important piece of their plan. I'd love to hear your thoughts! Please leave a comment (and I'd love to know which month you're making your January!) You can also follow my journey from the beginning: How to Lose Weight at Home What the First Few Weeks on Medifast are Really Like How Medifast Works How to Stick To Your Diet During the Holidays Can You Cheat on Your Diet and Still Lose Weight? 5 Tips to Lose Weight Right Now Try 30 days of Medifast with 7 Days of Free Meals included in the first month's order with a renewal plan. Offer expires April 30, 2018 or get $15 Off orders of $150+ with promo code SAVINGS15 at checkout! Some exclusions apply. Offer expires April 30, 2018. *Average weight loss for Medifast Direct® customers using Medifast Go™ is 11 pounds. Medifast Direct customers are in weight loss, on average, for 8 weeks. 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! Or check out our natural bath and body line!

From pea protein to whey protein, hemp protein, and soy protein, I've done my research to give you a quick summary of what each one is and its benefits. I've also included a list of brands to try - this list is simply based on the brands I have personally used and liked.

Disclosure: This post was sponsored by Medifast. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

(Medifast Cappuccino - so super delish)

I hate the word diet. Diet, to me, means going without. When you go without then that is all you can focus on. Can't eat chocolate? Now I want ALL the chocolate every chance I can get. Can't go out to that favorite restaurant? Now I want to camp out and basically live there. I prefer to look at weight loss as a lifestyle change. Lifestyles changes are permanent, diets are temporary. Whether or not you have the money to join a weight loss plan to make that lifestyle change (see below for some discounts for Medifast Go that might help), there are 5 things you can start doing right now to set you on the right path to lose weight. Eat a high-protein breakfast Protein is like the golden child of every weight loss plan. It boosts your metabolism, decreases hunger and as you are losing weight, adds lean muscle. Of course, you don't have to just eat protein, you can drink it, too. Eat small meals every few hours Eating smaller, healthy meals several times a day helps to maintain your blood sugar at a consistent level helping you to avoid energy crashes. It also means you feel full longer decreasing your chances or excessive snacking. Psychologically speaking, you may think that eating more often means you'll gain weight, but as long as it is low calorie, low fat, high protein and minerals, then it is much better than the potential for eating 3 large meals and snacking in between - because let's be honest here, snacking is what often does us in. Decrease Stress Easier said than done, but it's well known that stress can pack on the pounds. If you don't incorporate any form of stress management techniques into your day, then there is no time like now to do things like: download the Calm app to your phone, start going to bed earlier, learning basic yoga, meditation and even just exercising for 30 minutes a day. Some days just chasing my two year old around from room to room for 30 minutes straight and making a game of it counts as my exercise for the day - and it boosts both our moods, too. Drink water before and after meals I'm not a fan of water, however I've come to not mind it as much when adding Medifast's Calorie Burn Mixed Berry Flavor Infuser (it tastes so good!) Drinking water a half hour before a meal acts as an appetite suppressant because you feel fuller prior to your meal, helping you to either eat less or just the proper portion size. Since water has no calories (the flavor infuser I mentioned is only 5 calories btw), you avoid loading up on empty calories that would only contribute to weight gain. Decrease sugar and starch Oh the addiction to sugar is real my friends. Sugar gives you temporary pleasure, but then converts to fat and you have to work that much harder to lose it. Starchy foods also convert to sugar. When you significantly reduce them both, you'll begin to notice the pounds start to melt away. I say reduce because in the real world cutting them out entirely simply means you'll find a way to sneak them and overindulge. All of the above are steps you can take starting today to start your weight loss journey. There's no magic potion, only a committment to becoming healthy. I'm cheering you on! You can also follow my journey from the beginning: How to Lose Weight at Home What the First Few Weeks on Medifast are Really Like How Medifast Works How to Stick To Your Diet During the Holidays Can You Cheat on Your Diet and Still Lose Weight? If you’re interested in joining me on this journey, you can get 7 days of free Medifast meals + bonus gifts + free shipping on your the first order as part of the renewal plan. Or for a limited time you can get 20% off any order of $300 or more + Free Shipping with promo code BIGDEAL20! Valid December 26, 2017 through January 2, 2018 at Midnight ET. *Average weight loss for Medifast Direct® customers using Medifast Go™ is 11 pounds. Medifast Direct customers are in weight loss, on average, for 8 weeks. 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! Or check out our natural bath and body line!

Stuck in a rut? Feeling like you are working endless hours, but not really completing your to do list? If you are wondering how to increase your productivity so that you are working more efficiently, staying on task and not just being "busy" with nothing to show for it, read on for 5 things that have helped me. Sleep It goes without saying that when you don't have a good night's sleep, you'll struggle to focus throughout the day and your productivity will decline. Quality sleep is a little more involved than just going to bed 8 hours before you need to wake up. Something I've had to learn the hard way. Getting the right balance of deep sleep, rem sleep and light sleep involves sleeping on the right hybrid mattress, not snacking up to two hours before bed time, the amount of stress in your day (and how you handled it), putting down your phone/tablet/laptop at least an hour before lights out and invoking relaxation techniques to help ease you into a restful night's sleep. Comfort is obviously key - making sure your room is the right temperature (cooler is always better), wearing clothing that won't tug or bind, and making sure all light is blocked (I have light blocking curtains, but certainly a sleep mask can work for you.) Sound is also helpful to a restful night's sleep. When home I use a white noise machine and on ocassion I use my Alexa Echo Dot to play relaxing sounds. When on the road, I have the Relaxio White Noise Generator app on my phone, which plays rain, thunderstorms, a fan, a crackling fire, wind, etc. and you can set a timer for how long you want it to play. I highly recommend it. For managing stress and developing relaxation techniques, see meditation below. Eat I'm sure you've heard the saying that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. I can only speak for myself, but if I skip breakfast, suddenly around 11am all I can think about is food and it takes me off-task. I've discovered that eating small meals every two hours not only helps to maintain my energy level and avoid an early afternoon crash, it also improves my mood. When you're less irritable, you're more likely to be open to other ways to problem solve throughout the day helping you blast through your workload and overcome any obstacles with a positive attitude. Obviously what you eat is super important. A mix of protein, healthy fats and complex carbs are best. Oh, and I can't live without coffee. Aromatherapy This one really works for me. Whether it is a placebo effect or actually true, scent makes a big difference in how I tackle my work day. When I need a boost, I rub on citrus essential oils like grapefruit, lemon and lime. If I need to take my stress level down a notch, it's lavender, jasmine, and rosewood. I personally love these pictured above from Adoratherapy. Between their positive, motivational statements and roll-ons and mists, I am sure to be in the right mindset when I apply their oils. Organization I am all about lists and alloting a certain amount of time to tasks, as well as taking my multitasking down several levels. To make sure I tackle all of my tasks for the day I live by the Todoist app, my Alexa Echo Dot, and yes believe it or not, a notebook (old school things still work in this modern era!) The Todoist app is free and I utilize it on both my phone and desktop. It's also tied to my Alexa, so while I am getting ready for the day, I can tell Alexa all of the day's tasks to add to my list. Once I'm at my desk, as I bang out each project, I then check it off my list. I tend to do the easiest items first, as accomplishing a lot in a small span of time makes me feel even more productive and gives me the stamina and motivation to work through the items that take more time and brain power. Aside from using Alexa to manage my Todoist app, I also use it for setting timers, adding appointments to my Google calendar and creating reminders. Alexa is basically like having my own office assistant and when I want to boost my mood, she'll play me any music I want to hear from my Amazon Music library, too. Meditation This is one tip I've even passed onto my oldest son at college. Meditation has helped me in so many ways - from increasing my ability to focus, to increasing awareness and mindfulness, to decreasing stress and invoking relaxation, I feel like meditation is so often underestimated for its numerous benefits. I personally use the Calm app, while my son uses Headspace. I always meditate before I start my work day. The Calm app has themes like 7 Days of Managing Stress, 7 Days of Focus, 7 Days of Calm, as well as becoming aware of your breathing, doing timed meditation, a body scan and so on. They also have soothing bedtime stories, 7 Days of Sleep and soothing music. Meditation helps with clarity, especially on busy and stressful days. I know that my mind can become crowded with conversations, things I need to remember, as well as the limited amount of time I have to achieve everything within. When I slow down and calm my mind, it's like it compartmentalizes everything for me so that I can focus more easily and not get led off task. Honestly, meditation is something I look forward to every day because of the calming effect it has on me. What are some things that have helped increase your productivity? If you've used any of the above tips, I'd love to hear how they worked for you! 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! Or check out our natural bath and body line!

While unicorn hair may not be your thing, you can still get in on the unicorn life trend at The 411 Studio Salon & Boutique in Olyphant, PA. They serve up a Unicorn Bubble Spa Pedicure that is equally as magical for an 11 year old girl, as it is for any adult. Sidenote: This is the salon I go to on a regular basis that has the most talented team of nail techs delivering gorgeous custom nail art designs. You can see some of my manicures on my Instagram or check out their Facebook gallery for both hair and nail photo amazingness! I recently had a spa day with my niece and decided to add on the unicorn bubble to her Express Spa Pedicure. I watched my niece's eyes light up as they added a bag of orbeez along with 24K gold dust to her foot bath. As she kicked around the unicorn bubbles, it made this cool sparkle look in the water. For adults who get this add on, you are treated to cotton candy wine or their seasonal homemade sangria, as well. Yum! With the Express Spa Pedicure you get a salt soak, cleanser, scrub and herbal lotion. All of the products are unscented and you get to choose the essential oil you want used to create your custom blend; my niece chose coconut.  

A post shared by Shannon Smyth ? (@agirlsgottaspa) on Nov 11, 2017 at 12:59pm PST

My niece went with a beautiful gold polish as a way to remember this mystical experience. ? If you are local here in Northeast PA or will be visiting the area, I highly recommend booking this pedicure or even their jelly pedicure (I haven't tried it yet, but it looks so fun!) 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! Or check out our natural bath and body line!