Wouldn't it be great if we could have that bronzed, sun-kissed skin all year round? With Gerard Cosmetics Star Powder your skin can still maintain its summery glow even if you live in Minnesota. Gerard Cosmetics’ Star Powder is inspired by iconic Hollywood starlets; Marilyn, Audrey and Lucy.  The lightweight powders each add a hint of color and buildable sheen.  Marilyn Star Powder is inspired by the ultimate blonde bombshell and is a luminous powder with an ultra luxurious, creamy texture. Audrey is a warm champagne gold that is reflective with high shine and can be built up for an intense glow or dusted lightly on cheekbones for a subtle sheen.  Lucy, which I am currently using, is a really velvety, finely milled powder that adds a hint of golden shimmer and looks beautiful on cheekbones or mixed with blush. A little goes a long way, even when mixed with your blush, so just a light dusting is needed for an insanely gorgeous, sun-kissed look.  I also love sweeping a light dusting over my eyelids for an extra glowy look.  For less of a sheen I mix Lucy with my everyday face powder to tame down the sheen factor. What do you think? 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! Disclosure: Press sample, affiliate link

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post for Paula's Choice.  All opinions expressed in this post are my own. Who can resist Paula's Choice in their skin care routine? Sorry, I couldn't help but make that joke, although I have to say that now that I've tried this skin care line, I'm pretty much hooked. Prior to this review, I hadn't tried any of Paula's Choice skin care, although I am very much aware of Paula Begoun, the founder, as the Cosmetics Cop who is all about truth in beauty, skin care, ingredients and proven research. In fact, I had the chance to interview her when Beautypedia launched several years ago. Her website has a full encyclopedia of advice for every type of skin care concern. She is a wealth of information! I am a true skin care junkie. I absolutely believe that it doesn't matter how much contouring and concealing you do or how much makeup you wear - if your skin is a mess, there is no hiding that! Besides, the better you treat your skin, the less makeup you'll have to invest in to fix your flaws.

Paula's Choice Skin Care Consultation

My relationship with Paula's Choice began with a personalized skin care consultation. Paula’s Choice is committed to customer advocacy, education and helping people find the best products for their skin. In fact, everyone can receive a FREE personal skincare consultation by calling this number: 1-800-831-4088. I spoke with Moniqua, who asked me to briefly explain my skin and routine to her. She asked follow up questions to further clarify my skin type and changes I am seeing in my skin. Over the years my skin has changed a lot. In my youth (or back in the olden days, as my kids would say), my skin was oily. Throughout most of my adult years, it transitioned into combination (normal to oily.) When I moved to the Pocono Mountains in 2003, it became dry in the Fall and Winter and then back to combination for Spring and Summer. (Where you live can have a major impact on your skin.) However, during my recent pregnancy and post-partum AND now being considered to have "mature" (UGH) skin, it has again transitioned to normal to dry. Trying to find products that work well have been close to impossible. Trying to figure out the circus that is my skin has become incredibly frustrating, so I appreciated having a skin care expert to chat with to get a customized skin care regimen in place for me. Paula's Choice offers a 100% money back guarantee (within 60 days) - so I liked that safeguard when choosing products. Paula's Choice is also cruelty free and does not contain irritating dyes or fragrances. Their product line includes something for everyone, acne, rosacea, aging, pores. They treat it all. On their website, you can choose from a menu of skincare concerns you’d like to treat and for me that was sun damange (hyperpigmentation), uneven skin tone, balancing my skin so that it was not dry yet not oily, treating the occasional blemish, the always annoying blackheads and diminishing the signs of aging (fine lines, wrinkles.) You could say Moniqua had her work cut out for her to find me Paula's Choice products that could meet all of my needs.

Paula's Choice Skin Care for Mature Skin

The Paula's Choice skin care regimen that was suggested were products from the Resist line. One of the major standouts for me about this line is the texture. I am not a big fan of heavy creams and serums, and the Resist line is very lightweight. From the toner to the serum, BHA and moisturizer, I am thrilled at how each product applies and despite all of the layering, it doesn't feel that way. In total, my morning and night skin care routine contain 6 products: Resist Perfectly Balanced Foaming Cleanser, Resist Weightless Toner, Resist Daily Pore-Refining Treatment 2% BHA, Resist Moisture Renewal Oil Booster, Resist 25% Vitamin C Spot Treatment, Resist Daily Fluid SPF 50 (day), and Resist Anti-Aging Clear Skin Hydrator (night.) Once a week I swap out the 2% BHA for the Resist Weekly Retexturizing Foam 4% BHA. Right now I'm using the Oil Booster, but once my skin has finally balanced out, I plan to use the Resist Hyaluronic Acid Booster, which is for all skin types. Now you may ask, are all of those products really necessary? Here's my stance - most people will try to skip a product or two in order to save time and money, but then end up spending it on cosmetics to conceal whatever issue wasn't addressed. When those cosmetics aren't enough, they think it's the skin care products they're using and go onto try something else. By the time it's all said and done, you've spent more money than you've intended and more time trying to fix a problem that could've been easily solved to begin with. I encourage you to give Paula's Choice a try and set up a consultation so that you get the right products in your hands. www.paulaschoice.com Have you tried Paula's Choice? I'd love to hear about your experience 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 and G+. Got a Kindle? We’re on Kindle too!

Before starting GuruNanda's Pulling Oil, I had heard about the practice of oil pulling, but I had never done it myself nor had any close friends or family who had done it. Although, there is a ton of information on the ancient practice of oil pulling readily available at my fingertips, I wasn't exactly sure what to expect (the taste, feeling, etc.) Oil pulling is an ancient Ayurvedic procedure. It involves using oil as a mouthwash and swishing it in your mouth for about 15-20 minutes, then spitting it out. This action is meant to pull out toxins in your body and is very beneficial for your health, especially your oral health. The reported benefits of oil pulling are plaque removal, treatment of bad breath, toothache, sensitivity and gum disease. It will also help brighten your teeth, heal mouth sores, prevent cavities and keep gums healthy.  In addition to the reported oral benefits, other reported health benefits;

• Relieves headaches and migraines
• Reduces eczema
• Treats arthritis and related illnesses
• Clears sinuses and reduces infections
• Improves the lymphatic system
• Stimulates metabolism
• Prevents heart disease
• Supports kidney function
• Alleviates allergies
• Regulates menstrual cycles and reduces PMS
• Promotes better sleep

The GuruNanda Pulling Oil is composed of a mix of rich ingredients like pure sesame oil, sunflower oil, coconut oil and peppermint oil and is rich in Omega-3 fatty acids while also naturally containing iron, calcium, magnesium, plus Vitamins A, B and E. The first time I tried oil pulling I only lasted for five minutes! I'm pretty sure this was due to me swishing too aggressively and my jaw just got tired. I actually liked the taste of the GuruNanda Pulling Oil the first time I tried it, so the idea of swishing it for 15 minutes didn't seem unachievable.  It has a slightly minty taste thanks to the peppermint oil. The second time I tried it, I made it to ten minutes.  I very gently swished the oil in my mouth, but there was so much saliva that accumulated I just wanted to get rid of it.  I have been oil pulling for only about two weeks now and have made it to 20 minutes. Thus far the only benefit that I have noticed is that my teeth are whiter, but I think that two weeks is probably not enough time to notice a lot of the reported benefits of oil pulling. There's also unseen benefits, like supporting kidney function and preventing heart disease that are difficult for me to report on. I'm going to continue using this product and will post another update in about month. Have any tips or tricks for me in the meantime? 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! *Disclosure: affiliate link

Blackheads. The bain of my existence. I wish that when I was a teen that someone would've warned me about the future of my skin if I didn't take care of it properly. But alas, here I am in my 40's with large pores (especially on my nose) and blackheads as proof of my previous skin care sins. With constantly clogged pores comes finding the right products that will neutralize them and keep my skin looking healthy. 5 of my blackhead banishing favorites right now include: Michael Todd Soniclear: I have the former model of Soniclear in Pink Lady (they now sell Soniclear Elite, but Ulta has a Soniclear Classic in Foxy Floral.) The Soniclear is one of my go-to skin care tools. It not only works wonders on sloughing off dry skin to reveal healthier, glowing skin, but it loosens up debris and hardened oil in your pores, too. You can use the Soniclear with any cleanser, like their Cleanse and Tone or Honey & Oat, but to get rid of blackheads, I like Dr. Brandt Pores No More. Dr. Brandt Pores No More Cleanser: I discovered this creamy cleanser in my NewBeauty Test Tube (which always lends to amazing discoveries each month) and decided to give it a try. It's mix of tea tree oil, willow bark and salicylic acid dissolve impurities and decongest your pores. It's non-drying - which is important for my combination skin. Biore Ultra Deep Cleansing Pore Strips: Ok, I mean, who isn't ADDICTED to these? If you tell me that you are not fascinated with seeing your super gross blackheads appear on these white strips, then we can't be friends anymore. I have to admit, I even get an overwhelming feeling of accomplishment when I spy that the nose strip removed a really big blackhead. I'm like, YASSS! I'm not ashamed. It is totally true. Blemish Extractor: The one pictured is from Sephora and came in a kit that they no longer sell. However, they do still sell another version of the Blemish Extractor that is just about the same. In the same token that I love the nose strips, I equally love to extract blackheads (and occasionally, whiteheads) with this tool. Seeing that I have so many blackheads on my nose and chin, it is like hours of endless fun and a feeling of job well done. Once I've used this tool, I use a cleanser as well, since the blackheads are bacteria-ridden. (Don't forget to disinfect your tool with each use as well.) Glytone Acne 3P Gel: This non-irritating gel is comprised of micronized 5% benzoyl peroxide. While it can be drying, I use it sparingly so that it doesn't cause my skin to flake. It targets pimples, whiteheads and blackheads. It has no fragrance and you only need a really thin layer to get the job done. (My teen-aged sons like to sneak this product from time to time. Definitely check out my post about teaching boys the importance of proper skin care!) I'd love to know what you use for blackheads. 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! *Disclosure: affiliate links

My lashes basically seem non-existent without mascara. They lack length and volume. I've tried so many mascaras in the pursuit of enviable lashes. Maybe you can relate..? False lashes have also made their way onto my vanity, and while I adore the *POW* they give my lashes (and I swear they make me look younger - yes, please!), I have to be honest and say that I am no pro when it comes to applying them. Not only does it take some skill to apply the lashes in a way that looks natural, you then need a steady hand to apply your eye liner in a way that doesn't look like you are trying to emulate that 70's disco vibe with a thick line. (Am I right??) With the trend leaning towards fibre mascaras, Cherry Blooms piqued my interest. I've tried an all-in-one fibre mascara with Maybelline's The Falsies and did really like it, and I've also used Physicians Formula Eye Booster, which is similar to Cherry Blooms. But as we know, not all mascaras are created equal (or at least we tell ourselves that so that we can buy the latest and greatest new mascara.) Cherry Blooms is a two-step fibre mascara. The mascara and fibres come in two separate bottles, although there is some transference of the fibres into the mascara bottle after using it for a period of time. The mascara itself is not a thick or clumpy formula; it's actually pretty thin and made of high grade beeswax. After one application (which is about 20 strokes), you then gently brush on the fibres. I didn't find that the fibres fell off the applicator onto my face at all, it simply remained on the wand until it touched my lashes. A definite plus since no one wants to wind up with fibres in their eyes. The directions say to use 15 strokes to apply the fibres, but I didn't find that I needed that at all. I did about 5 per eye, then applied the Transplanting Mascara Gel a second time, applied the fibres for a second time and then sealed it all with one last coat of the gel. Of course, you can skip the second coat of fibre, but I wanted a voluminous look to my lashes, not just length. The difference is noticeable and I like how my lashes look natural, not fake-lashes-fake. You know what I mean? If I wanted a more date night dramatic look, I can always apply more coats of fibres and gel. And that's the best part - with a typical mascara you tend to get clumps the more you apply, but that's not the case with this buildable fibre mascara. Lastly, Cherry Blooms didn't smudge or rub off. Removal was easy and didn't take my natural lashes with it - I just used Herbacin Two-Phase Make-up Remover. I'd love to hear from you if you've tried this mascara! 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: Press sample

Lately a lot of my beauty obsessions have been due to my other obsession, Instagram.  Thanks to Instagram I've discovered beauty products and brands that would have otherwise never been on my radar. My most recent IG beauty product discovery is Lani Tropical Hair Treatment. I was immediately intrigued by  their gorgeous beachy IG pics, amazing packaging and the fact that the hair treatment is both 100% natural, cruelty free and vegan. Getting my hands on Lani Tropical Hair Treatment was a bit more difficult than I thought and I was close to giving up. Then I just happened to walk into Urban Outfitters and almost squealed out loud when I saw that beautiful turquoise bottle sitting on the shelf in their beauty area. I've been using Lani Tropical Hair Treatment for two weeks now and absolutely love how my hair looks and feels after each use. It takes my hair from dry and dull to shiny and hydrated even after I colored my hair. I normally apply it to my dry hair, place it in a top knot and leave it in my hair for almost an entire day. If you do not have the time to leave it in your hair for that long, it is recommended that you leave it in your hair for at least 30 minutes. It's also recommended that you shampoo twice then condition as usual after using it, but depending on how my dry my hair feels, I'll just shampoo once to leave a bit of the treatment in my hair without weighing my hair down or leaving it too oily.  I also love using it as both a hair treatment and curl tamer whenever I opt to leave my hair in it's naturally curly state. Please keep in mind that I have thick, highly textured hair so this may not be the case for someone with fine or even medium hair. There are not a lot of hair products that my hairstylist Pearson Knight (Elle genius awarded hairstylist) approves of, but after reading the ingredients in Lani Tropical Hair Treatment (Camellia seed oil, Coconut oil, Kukui nut oil and Macadamia nut oil) and after seeing firsthand what it has done for the condition of my hair, he encourages me to use it every time I wash my hair. He has even started using it, especially after a surf session. As I mentioned above Lani Tropical Hair Treatment can be found at Urban Outfitters online and also at the Third Street Promenade location in Santa Monica.  I just hope that Urban Outfitters starts carrying the Lani Tropical Body Treatment in all stores as well, since I was too late to purchase it online before it sold out! Have you tried this hair treatment? 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: affiliate link

For a long time now, I've been using make-up remover wipes to take off my make-up at night. It's been easy and convenient, but it's not always the best choice for my skin type. I wanted to get back to using a make-up remover that wouldn't cause me to tug on my skin, especially around my eyes, in order to remove make-up, as well as one that would nourish my skin without leaving a greasy feeling behind. I believe I've found that in Herbacin's Two-Phase Make-up Remover. Even better, it's natural and cruelty free. Herbacin Two-Phase Make-up Remover ($36) gently removes make-up while giving your complexion a velvety, clear, radiant, fresh look and feel. When you have combination skin like I do, oftentimes these descriptions are not within reach to describe your skin. And don't be fooled that oily or combination skin does not agree with the use of oils - it all depends on the kind. The inclusion of sweet almond oil prevents skin from feeling stripped and "squeaky-clean" - two things that are known to lead to an overproduction of sebum, while vegetable glycerin and aloe promote hydration. Your skin will not feel like an oil slick or tacky, but instead it will feel soft, hydrated and clean. The scent is also very light and pleasant, although hard to describe. It's neither floral nor fruity. It doesn't linger on your skin either. I found that I really don't need to put much on my Swisspers Cotton Squares, making this product last quite a while. Have you tried it? I'd love to hear your thoughts! 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: press sample

Is this new lip product from IT Cosmetics a gimmick or does it really work? The product is called Blurred Lines Smooth Fill Gel-Crème Lipstick. This is the first ever actual lipstick formula from IT Cosmetics. It contains ingredients to improve the appearance of the lines in your lips. Upon application of the lipstick, your lip lines will be filled in and your lips will appear smooth thanks to the optical blurring ingredients. What a great anti-aging promise to those of us who need it! IT Cosmetics is known for the scientific technology used to create their line of cosmetics. Each product has ingredients that are beneficial to the area that it’s being applied. The Blurred Lines lipstick formula contains the following ingredients: collagen, peptides, hyaluronic spheres, shea butter, jojoba and grape seed extract. These are all good for hydration and have anti-aging properties. In addition, the lipstick has a built in primer. These lipsticks are designed to be worn day or night and to provide lasting lip color. The Blurred Lines lipstick retails for $24 at Ulta. It can also be purchased on QVC for discounted bundle pricing. I purchased this product in the colors Naturally Pretty and Perfect Nude, both of which are in the lighter shade range from nine available options. Ulta also carries an exclusive shade called It Girl, which is a bright red. The product glides easily onto the lips. It deposits a nice amount of semi-sheer lip color, which is buildable to an opaque and glossy color. I chose two of the lighter colors from this collection and imagine that some of the darker shades have more color pay off. The Verdict: In my opinion the Blurred Lines lipstick from IT Cosmetics is just an average shiny lipstick. Unfortunately, these did not live up to their name for me. I could still see the lines in my lips. I didn’t feel like the lines were filled in at all. In addition, the product wore off of my lips in an hour’s time. It’s possible that the darker colors may be longer lasting. I feel like there are many other lipsticks available on the market today that are superior to these. Sorry It Cosmetics! You have some of the best cosmetic products, but this one is more of a gimmick to me. Thanks to Stacie, a beauty and lifestyle blogger over at Makeup Obsessed Mom for providing this post while I'm on maternity leave! She writes reviews of beauty products and shares tidbits from her busy life as a mom to three college students. Stop by to see what she’s been trying out lately. 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!

I'm loving all the rich Fall colors in the new Butter London x Allure collection!  I'm not yet ready for Fall, but I'm okay with winding down this hot, hot Summer.  So, let's do a mani of a typical Spring flower - the cherry blossom! What you'll need:

• 4 polishes - in this case, I used all Butter Londons:  It's Vintage for the base, Lust or Must? for the branches, I'm On The List for the petals, and Disco Nap for the center of the flower.
• A dotting tool or two
• A thin striping brush

The first step is laying down your base coat if you use one, and then applying your color.  It's Vintage is a rich, rusty orange-leaning red that is retro and classy. Next, take a striping brush, and lay down some branches.  They don't have to be perfect - your blossoms can cover a lot of mistakes! I do like to make sure that there are branches in different sections of the nail, though, so that the blossoms have some place to go all over the nail.  Lust or Must? is like melted chocolate on your fingertips. For the petals, I put some of I'm On The List onto a small palette, and used one of my larger dotting tools to make a 4- or 5-dot circular pattern.  This rose gold metallic works great for this because it has a natural shimmer that gives the flowers some dimension.  Plus, it's opaque enough to cover the branches in one coat. For the center of the flowers, I used my smallest dotting tool and some Disco Nap to make 2 or 3 small dots.  The silver glitter helps it catch the light, but the base is dark enough to stand out against I'm On The List. Add some top coat to help blend the layers together and protect your nail art, and you're done! Thank you to Lit From Within for creating this great nail art tutorial! Subscribe to A Girl’s Gotta Spa! beauty blog. Watch our reviews on YouTube, see our pins on Pinterest and check us out on Instagram. Got a Kindle? We’re on Kindle too! *Disclosure: affiliate links

When it comes to makeup, I prefer a look that is natural, simple and that enhances instead of covering or transforming, which is exactly why Cuepido Cosmetics peaked my interest. Cuepido Cosmetics champions the idea of an absolute clean appearance by just putting on what you think is necessary and not overdoing it and instead keeping things natural, simply lovely yet classy. Cuepido was launched on Valentine’s Day 2013 with the mission to provide healthy makeup that is safe for every woman’s skin. Each product is infused with ingredients such as flowers and plant extracts, vitamins, essential oils, minerals and other naturally derived ingredients.  All products are formulated without parabens, fragrances, phthalates, triclosan, sulfates, BPA and gluten. I decided to try the oomph-lash Waterproof Mascara, cue-smooch Gloss in Ariel and ohh blush in Camellia. Unfortunately, the blush and gloss did not work with my dark skin tone, but because I loved the texture of both, I decided to bring in an expert and have a makeup artist try them out and see how the colors worked on her. The consistency and texture of both the blush and lip gloss were amazing.  They both felt lightweight and moisturizing and I could barely tell that I was even wearing anything at all.  As far as how the makeup looks, I will let you decide based on the pictures in this review of LA based makeup artist Lauren Snyder, who also loved the product! Doesn't it look so effortless and natural? Cuepido Cosmetics is available on their website and via Amazon.com. Have you given them a try yet? 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 samples, affiliate links