Exploring the History and Benefits of Patchouli: From Ancient Medicine to Modern Aromatherapy

Shannon Smyth

Patchouli is a fragrant plant that has been used for centuries for its medicinal and aromatic properties. The plant, which is native to tropical regions of Asia, is a member of the mint family and is known for its strong, musky scent.

The history of patchouli dates back to ancient times. It is mentioned in ancient Chinese and Indian texts as a medicinal herb, and was used to treat a variety of ailments, including skin irritations, infections, and anxiety. Patchouli was also used as a natural insect repellent, and was believed to have spiritual and aphrodisiac properties.

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Early Warning Signs of Domestic Violence

Shannon Smyth

If you are questioning what the warning signs of domestic abuse in a relationship looks like, you may already be experiencing them.

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Using Sound for Well-being in Your Self-Care Routine

Shannon Smyth

Our emotions and senses are deeply intertwined. Each of the five senses - sight, sound, taste, touch, and smell - feed important information about our environment back to our brain to make sense of the world around us.

Incorporating more of the senses into your self-care routine is an effective way to relax and ground yourself. Sensory self-care is a powerful tool and can really help to level up your well-being routine.

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Vegan Ice Cream Recipes

Shannon Smyth

Each of these delicious vegan ice cream recipes are the perfect treat for anyone who has a dairy allergy, chooses not to eat dairy, or is vegan or vegetarian.

With some no churn recipes included, you can enjoy these yummy ice creams whether you have an ice cream maker or not.

From salted caramel and camomile ice cream, chunky maple peanut butter ice cream, mint chocolate chip ice cream and so much more, there is something here for whatever your favorite ice cream flavor is!

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Salt Scrub vs Sugar Scrub: Which is Better?

Shannon Smyth

Salt scrubs are often touted as the more natural alternative to sugar scrubs. But is this really true? Have you ever wondered what makes a scrub better than another?

Let's explore the differences between salt and sugar, their respective benefits, and which one might be right for you!

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The Lodge at Woodloch Crafted Cocktail Recipe

Shannon Smyth

Fifteen years ago, The Lodge at Woodloch first opened its doors. The luxurious spa resort in Hawley, PA, was designed as a destination like no other in the Northeast. The intent was to create a wellness respite for guests to find a personal awakening through discovering stress-relieving outlets to help them along their wellness journeys.

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What Does Wellness Really Mean?

Shannon Smyth

Wellness is when an individual is in the state of good health; mentally, physically and spiritually.

You might consider wellness a buzzword, especially when it’s tossed around in marketing constantly. It tends to be a topic that is very much focused on, and highlighted by, influencers and celebrities. There are wellness retreats and conferences, even YouTube tutorials that cover the topic of wellness.

But what does wellness really mean?

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5 Cruelty Free Perfumes from A Girl's Gotta Spa!

Shannon Smyth

A few years into our natural body care line, I began to hear more people talk about how hard it was to find cruelty free perfumes. Since A Girl's Gotta Spa! is a Leaping Bunny certified brand (and vegan), I decided we needed to do something to fill this void in the market.

Most people usually associate A Girl's Gotta Spa! with spa quality bath and body products, not perfumes. However, scent, to me, aligns with mood and the feelings generated from them.

As a brand intended to encourage and uplift women, fragrance is the perfect extension of our brand.

As I write this, we have 5 cruelty free perfumes with a 6th in development for Summer.

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Patchouli Oil - Fragrance and Oils to Mix With

Shannon Smyth

Back in the early 90's I distinctly remember my younger sister burning incense in the scent of patchouli. I wasn't exactly a fan then, but just like taste buds, how we feel about certain fragrances evolves over time.

First, let's start with the obvious:

What is Patchouli?

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Ways to Exfoliate for Healthier Skin

Shannon Smyth

To achieve healthy skin, sometimes it just needs some exfoliation in order to more readily absorb hydrating lotion. You don't need to step foot in a spa to achieve this - although I would never say no to a spa day!

There are many ways to exfoliate your body to remove dead skin cells from your skin’s surface. Our bodies shed their dead skin cells naturally every 30 days, but as we get older, the cycle begins to slow down.

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