Hidden in the back streets of London just off Oxford Circus, an area so busy and full of tourists that you often feel like you're in an ant’s nest trying to dodge everyone, is Marshall Street Spa. The spa is on the basement level of the Marshall Street Fitness Centre. Whilst at first I thought this an unusual place to have a spa, once I was through the doors of the spa, I felt like I was miles away from the hustle and bustle of the outside world. The spa is simple, clean and has everything you need - two saunas, a steam room, a relaxation area and large changing facilities. I was greeted by a very friendly receptionist who gave me a tour of the facilities. I relaxed in the sauna before my treatment began - a 45 minute hot stone back, neck and shoulder massage. I have one word for this treatment - outstanding!! My therapist understood that I was after a deep, effective massage. I've often visited spas asking and hoping for a deep massage that really gets into tight knots and relieves tension and have disappointingly received a 'pitter patter' attempt. But this was not the case at Marshall Street Spa. If you’ve never had a hot stone massage before, it’s worth trying. The massage starts out as a normal massage before the therapist places smooth water heated stones, one or two at a time, on your spine. The stones are left to rest for a short while and are then used as part of the massage in the palms of the therapist to melt away tension whilst the heat helps ease muscle stiffness. Other benefits include increased circulation and metabolism. The heat of the stones help muscles to relax which allows the therapist to access deeper muscle layers and provide a healing experience. My therapist understood exactly what I needed, and using the silky-smooth almond oil and hot stones, massaged away the tension I was feeling. The spa uses Caudalie products and offers a range of treatments from massages to facials, waxing and eyelash tinting. The spa is very central and well located, especially for those who want to fit in a treatment after work or for tourists who are visiting the popular London West End. What better way to end a day of shopping in the capital than a luxurious spa experience at an affordable price! Visit www.everyoneactive.com for more information. 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!

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Silk Therapeutics for LabGrab. All opinions are my own.

Do you have fine lines or under eye puffiness? Lack of a decent amount of sleep will often cause me to get puffy bags under my eyes, and well, my age is showing with fine lines and crow's feet on a regular basis. If you are a regular reader, you know I love the New England-based Silk Therapeutics brand and have reviewed a few of their products (Silk Therapeutics Nurture ++ Moisturizer, Purely Smooth Daily Minimizing Complex, and Silk Renewing Peel.) If you are not already familiar with this great skin care brand, they use minimal ingredients and activated liquid silk in all of their products. Silk protein is what firms and smoothes skin and gives its healthy appearance. Pure liquid silk does the job of a number ingredients and this is why their products can be ultra-effective without a laundry list of fillers. As with most brands, there are a lot of great ideas for other products put forth and formulations that tried and tested. However, most of the time, only one of those products make it to market. It's not to say that the other product ideas or formulations weren't good, it's always just a matter of which one is the best of the best at the time and money to get it from the lab to you. As a beauty brand owner myself, I can't begin to tell you how true this is. I would surely love to launch many items at once, but just to put ONE out costs a considerable amount of money and that's not a pricetag I want to pass onto you, and neither do they. But I love the idea Silk Therapeutics came up with to problem solve this which gave birth to a new line called LabGrab. LabGrab is a skin care line with the same innovative formulations of pure liquid silk, made in limited edition batches at affordable prices. It's no frills naming (the formulator's initials, internal formulation number and intended purpose of the product) with the product in lab glass. While EC-018 may not sound sexy, your skin won't know any better. I had the opportunity to try their Cream - Eye Renewal prior to launch. It's an unscented eye treatment comprised of liquid silk, silk micro-capsules, caffeine, and botanicals. The texture has a whipped consistency - it is lightweight and airy. It's not at all greasy and doesn't feel like it sits atop your skin. It's incredibly concentrated and you only need to use a tiny amount. And by tiny, I mean less than pea-sized for both eyes. I've used it every day for a few weeks now and it looks like I've barely touched my jar. Also - the skin around my eyes looks great! My crow's feet have softened and there's no under-eye puffiness. Now, I know that I won't see miracles only having used it for a short period of time, however, I am beginning to see results and I know with consistent use, the overall results will improve. I'm really excited about the launch of LabGrab and I hope you'll check out the products for yourself! Any questions? Let me know in the comments! 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!

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Balance. All opinions are my own. (But these bars have quickly disappeared into my belly.)

Now this is certainly an easy post to write - I've long loved (and eaten) Balance bars and I've forever been obsessed with beauty products. So it's the best of both worlds with Balance treating their fans with a limited-time on-pack promotion to win a yearlong subscription to Birchbox! Beginning in February, Balance packaging will feature a "golden ticket" with a unique code to enter online at Balance.com/BirchBoxWinner for a chance to win. Twenty lucky fans will win the year-long subscription to Birchbox. If you're not familiar with Balance, these bars are a scrumptious treat that are nutritionally balanced. Balance recently introduced 4 new delicious flavors with each bar only being about 200 calories or less. Each bar contains 5-7 grams of protein and 5-6 grams of fiber, depending on flavor. For me, 2017 is all about being more mindful about what I eat and snack on. Balance bars are a smart snack option with an ideal balance of great taste and energizing ingredients. When it comes to Balance, you don’t need to make any sacrifices! Balance bars provide the nutrition you need along with the sweetness you crave. And let me tell you, I seriously have a sweet tooth! (FYI, their original Cookie Dough bar is DELISH!!!) If you haven't yet dove into beauty box subscriptions, Birchbox contains five samples tailored to your skin, hair, and style. For this month's box, I received Acure Organics Purifying Fruit Peel, pur~lisse lip comfort daily lip nourisher, Bumble and Bumble Bb Repair Blow Dry, PBJ Smoothie Stick and Clean Perfume Terra Woods. All things I would normally use, so to win a year's worth of Birchbox would be amazing! So head to any Walmart, Kroger, CVS, Rite Aid, or Walgreens to grab a promotional Balance bar. You can also order them via Amazon Dash. You may just be rewarded for snacking smarter! 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!

Wondering how to squeeze in a little more relaxation each day without having to book a treatment at the spa? Aside from using my aromatherapy diffuser to add a little more zen to my life, I've also fallen in love with using a shiatsu massager to work the tension out of my upper back. But let's face it, 99% of shiatsu massagers are not pretty. Am I right? In fact, they're pretty much an eyesore. Most are also relatively small (or bulky looking) and don't support your entire back during the massage. The massager I was using prior to now also interrupted my HD signal, so there was no relaxing while watching my favorite entrepreneurial shows like Shark Tank and The Profit. When M Cushion approached me about their shiatsu cushion designed by Jay Godfrey, my eyes lit up. A shiatsu that came encased in a memory foam cushion with an attractive design? Sign me up! Let me get straight to the point just in case you are short on time and don't want to read this entire review - this is literally the best shiatsu massager I have ever used. Invest in yourself and get one. If you're sticking around to read the entire review, let's get to the things I love about M Cushion:

• One side of the cushion is a gorgeous design making it a great home decor piece.
• The other side of the cushion is a solid color and is the shiatsu machine. It's well hidden by dual core memory foam.
• The cushion is large, but not bulky. It's just about as big as one of my back pillows on my sofa. (18x18)
• The cushion spans my entire back, so when using the shiatsu, I'm perfectly supported so that there is no straining or leaning too heavily into the shiatsu.
• Did I mention that this is a heated shiatsu massager???!!!
• The massage nodes are bi-directional and change direction every 60 seconds.
• The shiatsu has automatic shut off. I believe it massages for 15 minutes, but I was so deep in relaxation, I honestly didn't pay attention.

The heated nodes are just enough to tame the tension in your neck and relax every muscle, but not so much so that the pillow is too hot. There are also interchangable cushion covers that you can choose from as well. The cushion I received is the Black & White Greek Key design. I also received a 100% cotton washable, Floral Green cover.

(Realizing now that I snapped this pic of the pillow upside down!)

I've used this shiatsu almost everyday since receiving it. It delivers the perfect amount of pressure and heat when in use, and is super cushy when I am leaning against it as just a cushion.

Each pillow is $139, which may sound steep, but if you consider that one spa massage usually goes for about $100 plus a 20% gratuity, then getting the M Cushion is a solid investment.

Questions? Let me know!

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I have been on the hunt for vegan shampoo and conditioner for months and have finally found the most amazing range! I have long hair and whilst I try not to wash it too often, living in a city unfortunately means that my hair can get nasty quite quickly from the pollution and change in temperature (think: air conditioning, heating and changes in climate.) Maria Nila is a Swedish hair care brand that has recently launched their Head & Hair Heal range. The products contain a blend of all natural ingredients so as to ensure your hair is not stripped of natural oils. These products are suitable for everyday use. Active ingredients include Aloe Vera extract to treat and prevent dandruff, Oleanolic Acid to prevent hair loss and Vitamin E, Apigenin and peptides to stimulate hair follicles for increased hair growth. After using these products my hair smells like I’ve just walked out of a salon and feels light and silky smooth, yet with volume and body. There is also a masque, which can be used 1-2 times per week, if your hair needs a little more TLC. If you’re like me, I can’t get enough of coconut oil, so if you don’t have time for a mask just massage some coconut oil on the tips of your hair. This new range preserves hair colour and is 100% vegan and cruelty free (Leaping Bunny, Peta and Vegan Society certified - which we love!) and is sulphate and paraben free. Maria Nila is the result of an experienced, enthusiastic team with over 40 years of experience in the industry that pride themselves on striving for environmentally friendly products. The brand has a wide range of products from hair masques to Argan oil and heat spray to salty styling cream. To get your hands on these luxurious products, visit the Maria Nila website and change your hair care routine today! 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!

We all know consuming fruits and vegetables are essential to our overall health, but what about the benefits of applying them to our skin? If you have normal to dry skin, you may need hydration and exfoliation in order to brighten or if you have combination to oily skin, you may need a detox of the skin to bring your dull skin back to life. Either way, Acure Organics has an at home facial peel for you! As I've gotten older, my skin seems to be more sensitive to the change in seasons. It's now normal to dry for a longer period of time, with it becoming combination to oily only in the Summer. A few years ago, this wasn't the case, as it was combination to oily all year round. It's no secret that fruit and veggie enzymes are great exfoliators and have the antioxidants skin needs to fight free radicals. It's what's called a "chemical exfoliator" even though there are obviously no dangerous chemicals involved. The other type of exfoliator is a physical one and that involves ingredients that would scrub the skin manually (microbeads, sugar, salt, etc.) Brightening Vegetable Peel: This skin treatment is for normal to dry skin. It's a light green colored gel with a slight odor when you squeeze it out. The scent goes away rather quickly, though. While this peel has sugar cane in it, you definitely do not feel any granules. It's simply a gel that you smooth over the skin (vs scrubbing.) The other exfoliant in this peel is apple cider. Kale, spinach, and chlorella provide your skin with vitamins and hydration. Purifying Fruit Peel: This skin treatment is for combination to oily skin types. It has a slight orange hue to it and is also a thick gel consistency. I didn't really notice a scent with this peel. Papaya enzyme, bitter cherry and blue agave are the exfoliants that reveal the healthy skin underneath. This peel is chock full of fruit to get your skin glowing, like mango, raspberry, cranberry, bilberry and many more. To combat your oily skin, there's witch hazel, lemon and orange. The word peel is kind of tricky because the gel doesn't dry to the point that you peel it off your face, but it does peel away the layer of dead skin by dissolving it. For each peel, you leave it on for about 5 minutes and then rinse it off with warm water. If you have sensitive skin, then leave it on for less time. I did notice I had to rub my skin a little to get the gel off and had an easier time if I used a cotton washcloth. My skin always looked refreshed after using this peel. The tubes are only 1.4 oz, but you really don't need much product to apply as the thick gel thins out as you smooth it over your skin. Additionally, you only need to use this peel 1-2 times per week. So that tube should last you a good while. Acure Organics are vegan, sulfate and paraben free and Leaping Bunny certified cruelty free. Have you tried any of their products yourself? 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!

When most of us think of weight training, we imagine muscly men in the gym pumping iron double their weight with thighs the size of tree trunks. Many of us don’t associate weight training with weight loss because it seems counter intuitive to build muscle when we’re trying to slim down. In fact, the opposite is true – lifting weights is the single most effective way to burn fat. Unlike cardio, after each weight training workout your muscles need energy to repair; meaning that your body burns a greater percentage of calories from fat. Research shows that after a weight training workout, your metabolism can be boosted for up to 36 hours. So, after your morning workout for example, you’ll be burning more calories whilst sitting at your desk at work and whilst you’re sleeping that night – winning! Whilst cardio is of course a good form of exercise, it can lead to the loss of muscle and fat. Weight or resistance training on the other hand promotes lean muscle mass which allows your body to burn more calories at rest. Your BMR (base metabolic rate) is the calories your body burns just to keep itself running. The more muscle mass you have, the more calories are burned even if you do nothing but ‘Netflix and chill’ all day. To torch those calories and keep burning them the whole day, try this 45 minute workout below. I have also officially found the most stylish kettlebells out there – Heart Kettlebells (available in 4kg and 8kg). These are the perfect addition to your home gym and are versatile enough to use for a range of different exercises. The full body workout below consists of three sets made up of four exercises. Repeat each exercise for 45 seconds before taking a 15 second rest and moving on to the next exercise in the set. Each set has three rounds and between each round there is a one minute rest period. Set 1: Standing pull up - Stand with your feet apart. Start with the weight at the bottom with straight arms and both hands on the kettlebell. Then pull up with your elbows coming out to the side. Hold the kettlebell up towards your chest and keep your elbows just a bit more than 180 degrees. Lower the weight back to the starting position and repeat. Alternate lunges – Start with your left leg forward and your right leg backwards (this is the leg that will drop into the lunge.) Hold the kettlebell in your right hand and lunge, driving the weight of the kettlebell up through your lunge. After 20 seconds, swap sides and repeat for another 20 seconds. Bent over row - Stand with your legs hip-length apart. Bend over forwards and grab a hold of the handle of the kettlebell. Keeping your core tight and your back straight, stand up brining the kettlebell with you. Do not lift the kettlebell, simply hold onto it and feel the stretch in your quads. Mountain climbers - Place both kettlebells shoulder width apart. Hold onto the top of each and come into a raised plank position. Brace your core and bring one leg in as high as you can towards your chest, then the other and repeat for 45 seconds as fast, but controlled, as you can. Rest for 1 min, then repeat set until you have done this set three times. Set 2: Kettlebell swing – Use your hips in this movement and allow the weight of the kettlebell to drive the movement (don't lift the kettlebell with your arms.) Start with hips a bit wider than hip distance apart, with both palms down grab the handle of the kettlebell with both hands. Lower your body and swing the kettlebell from between your legs out in front of you. Repeat this swinging motion for 45 seconds. Bicep curl – Grab hold of the handle of the kettlebell with the palm of your hand facing you. Bring the kettlebell up from the side of your body into a bicep curl, stopping at 90 degrees. Goblet Squat – Hold the kettlebell in front of you with both hands, grabbing hold of each side of the handle and squat for 45 seconds. Side bend – Stand with your legs hip width apart. With the handle of a kettlebell in your right hand and facing towards the front, bend sideways towards your left almost like a standing side crunch. Repeat for 20 seconds and then change sides and repeat. Rest for 1 min, then repeat set until you have done this set three times. Set 3: Wall sit - Place your back against a wall with your feet shoulder width apart and a little way out in front from the wall. At all times your back should be flat against the wall and you should form two right angles – one at the hips and one at the knees. Hold the kettlebell with both hands above your knees for 45 seconds Two arm kettlebell row – Grab two kettlebells and place them in front of your feet with your knees bent slightly. Pull the kettlebells towards your stomach whilst keeping your elbows close to your body and your back straight. Kettlebell push up – This is a tough one! Place the two kettlebells shoulder width apart and come into a push-up position with each hand holding onto a handle of a kettlebell. Come down towards the kettlebells in a push-up position and then push up away from the floor. If you can, between reps at the top of the push-up, pull one kettlebell in towards your body and then carefully lower down again. If it’s a little too much, just do a normal push up either on your toes or your knees. Sit ups – Lie down and hold the bottom part of the kettlebell in two hands towards your chest. Sit up and bring the kettlebell with you. If this is too difficult just do normal sit ups. Rest for 1 min, then repeat set until you have done this set three times. This workout can be modified to a 30 minute version by doing each set twice instead of three times. Even though this is a short workout you will be burning calories throughout the day! Leave me a comment and let me know how it goes! 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!

As much as travelling is one of my favourite things in life, often the change in climate and environment is not always that much fun for my skin. Sometimes our skin needs a quick fix to get it back on track. For me, removing impurities and controlling shine is key, especially in humid climates. nügg has just released these fantastic pocket-sized face mask pods that are small enough to fit in your hand luggage, so they are very travel-friendly! No matter how many trips I've done, I always seem to bring everything except the kitchen sink with me and have a constant battle with the lid of my suitcase and the zip. (Sound familiar??) So, as you can imagine, any space-saving beauty product has me rejoicing. These face mask pods come in different targeted treatments. I recently tried the Black Charcoal Skin Detox face mask. This mask has a calming effect on the skin due to the soothing oatmeal; keep impurities at bay due to the tea tree oil and controls shine without drying out the skin. I was impressed with how much goodness is packed into each one of these tiny pods. Ten minutes is all you need to have fresh, clean and soft skin, so it's perfect if you're short of time and your skin needs a quick pick-me-up. The mask has a gel-like consistency and the smell is divine - it smells as if you are at a spa having a facial. What’s best, is that it’s made from 97% natural ingredients so your skin is being fed with only the best! There are no parabens, synthetic fragrances or colours. nügg face masks are available in different combinations depending on your skin type and are available to buy in Beauty Mart, Selfridges, Selfridges.com, Fenwick’s, Beauty Bay and soon to launch in John Lewis. In the US, you can purchase them on Amazon. Have you tried them yet yourself? 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!

Winter is most definitely not my favorite season as I have a serious love affair with everything summer. That being said, there are a few winter beauty rituals that I really do enjoy and actually look forward to, such as baths. During winter I love pampering myself with cozy warm steaming baths, using oils, salts and bath teas to make the experience as relaxing as possible. Thanks to Fizz & Bubble dessert-inspired bath products, my baths this winter have been both relaxing and incredibly decadent! Fizz & Bubble “foaming truffles” are just as indulgent as the name suggests.  They  contain an 8-oil blend and are "drowned" in shea butter which makes them super moisturizing. They also contain vitamins, and safe coloring that won’t stain tubs or your skin and are all handmade, all-natural and cruelty-free. The truffles smell incredible.  The scents are relaxing and soothing and not at all overly sweet or overpowering.  I am a sucker for beautiful packaging and love the fun, vibrant hot pink box that the foaming truffles are packaged in, it's perfect for gifting.  I will admit the truffles are so beautiful I didn't want to use them and they sat in my bathroom for a while just beautifying the place. I was, however, tempted to take a bite, but thankfully I managed to restrain myself. Fizz & Bubble truffles are available at ULTA stores nationwide and online at www.FizzandBubble.com. 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!

We’ve all had those mornings. We press snooze on our alarm clocks at least four times and convince ourselves through a series of excuses that we don’t have to/shouldn’t go to the gym or leave the warmth of our bed for anything other than breakfast. The thought of leaving your bed for an early morning workout to start the day isn’t everyone’s cup of tea…after all sleep is important, right? Thankfully FlexTV has solved the problem of ‘endless snooze button hitting’, allowing you to fit in a workout in the comfort and privacy of your own home. From Pilates to barre classes, HIIT to meditation, FlexTV gives you access to over three hundred live classes a day. There are even specialist sessions in pre & post-natal fitness so that pregnant and new moms don't have to worry about one more thing to juggle with their new addition. FlexTV is perfect for busy people who struggle to fit gym classes and workouts into their day to day lives. Classes are scheduled around the clock and range from ten-minute yoga classes to hour long cardio circuits, so you can tune in whenever you have a moment and from wherever you are. After logging into your account online, you can schedule classes to fit your daily routine. Tailoring your workout timetable means that you can plan your week in advance and you receive an email straight to your inbox to remind you of upcoming classes. A handy chat box also allows you to talk to the instructor, ask questions and engage with other class participants so you don’t miss out on the social aspect of fitness. My favourite classes are ‘Empowering Yoga with Lucia’, ‘Kundalini yoga for circulation and focused mind’ and ‘Kettle Bell Barre Fusion’. If you thought that a home workout couldn’t challenge you - think again! FlexTV is an inexpensive way to stick to your exercise routine, especially during the winter months when waking up at the crack of dawn in the dark is your idea of torture. It’s an easy way to fit in a workout – I usually just roll out my yoga mat and set up my iPad in front of me and the instructor talks you through the workout whilst doing the exercises with you. For more information visit www.joinflex.tv - there is even a 30-day free trial! 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!