When it comes to skin care, I am very picky with what I put on my face. Since there's no hiding imperfections should a reaction to a product happen, I always do my research on ingredients and check out my fellow beauty blogger reviews. One of my favorites types of skin care product are facial masks. Maybe it's just me, but I love the feeling of rejuvenating my skin. Some of my favorite facial masks are: Renee Rouleau Triple Berry Smoothing Peel: Hands down, this is my absolute favorite chemical exfoliant mask. By chemical, I mean smoothing fruit AHA's, BHA's and enzymes. It smells insanely delicious and leaves your skin with an amazing glow. Sundari Gotu Kola and Asparagus Mask: This is a "tingling" type of mask and targets all skin types. It has a gel consistency, to which you add an antioxidant-rich oil and stir before applying. I love it. Freeman Charcoal & Black Sugar Facial Polishing Mask: I still get acne at 40 years old, which is no fun. This MAC Volcanic Ash Exfoliator dupe is the perfect way to use a physical exfoliant that uses charcoal to target impurities. Sometimes I get carried away using this around my nose and chin to target blackheads. Natural Facial Mask by Ashieda: Paper masks seem to be all the rage lately. Despite my scary appearance wearing the mask, the collagen-infused mask plumped my skin to perfection. Gail also loves paper masks - check out her reviews of Perfective Ceuticals and Kaunis. Bernard Cassiere Chocolate Mousse Mask: Unless you can make it to The Spa at The Hotel Hershey, this mention is basically a tease. Bernard Cassiere only sells this product in the US at this spa. This highly decadent mousse is whipped to perfection, will make you daydream of a trip down a chocolate stream then swimming in a chocolate fountain, while revealing a brighter complexion. What are some of your favorite facial masks? Leave a comment and let me know! 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!

As much as I have enjoyed summer and am sad to see it come to an end, I was not enjoying how dehydrated my skin looked and felt thanks to a lot of time spent outdoors celebrating summer in all of her sunny glory.  I want to welcome fall and all the polished perfection that accompanies her with skin that looks and feels perfectly hydrated, soft, glowing and dewy.  I love wearing darker lip colors during the fall months and I feel like an amazing complexion is the best complement to a dark red or wine colored lip. In an effort to get my skin fall ready, I have been exfoliating regularly and started using Perfective Ceuticals Divine Brightening Mask once a week.  The Divine Brightening Mask is a paper mask that contains skin brightening ingredients, such as Licorice Extract and Mulberry Root Extract, to name a few and Hydrolyzed Collagen.  Based on its ingredients, the mask is meant to even out skin tone and discoloration, hinder the formation of melanin, reduce fine lines and wrinkles, provide suppleness to the skin and protect  skin against free radicals. The mask feels like a cooling serum on my skin and after letting it sit and absorb into my skin for the recommended 3o minutes, my skin looks and feels absolutely gorgeous.  It looks supple, hydrated, bright and glowing and feels insanely soft. The paper mask is saturated with product so there is always an abundance of extra product to massage into the back of my hands, my décolleté and even my feet sometimes.  I am now on my third week of using the Divine Brightening Mask and my skin is most certainly looking and feeling fall ready. I would highly recommend giving this mask a try before an important event or if you've put your skin through the ringer this summer and want to get it back on track. Have you tried it? 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! *Disclosure: Press Sample

Vegan Cuts, an online marketplace and beauty box curating site of the best vegan products, has teamed up with Leaping Bunny (the grand master of cruelty free certification) to create a specialty starter kit to help you discover some great cruelty free brands. Up front I'll tell you that I love Leaping Bunny, and as a certified cruelty free brand ourselves, I can 100% get behind this Vegan Cuts Fresh Start Kit. Here's what you'll get: Alba Botanica: ACNEdote Clean 'n Treat Towelettes - 10-pack, 2.4 oz. Aubrey Organics: EveryDay Basics Moisturizer - 1.7 oz. Crazy Rumors: Plum Apricot Bunny Balm - 1 oz. Desert Essence: Hand and Body Lotion - 8 oz. (Italian Lemon or Island Mango scent) JĀSÖN: Antiplaque Toothpaste - 3 oz. (Powersmile® Antiplaque & Whitening Toothpaste, or Sea Fresh® Antiplaque & Strengthening Toothpaste) Montagne Jeunesse: Cucumber Peel Off Face Masque - .3 oz Preserve: Toothbrush - 4.6 oz. hello: mojito mint breath spray - .24 oz. Wellinhand Action Remedies: Tangerine Vanilla Astringent Toner - 6 oz. Leaping Bunny Pocket Size Shopping Guide What I love most is that all of these products are ones I've never used before. As a beauty blogger, that is refreshing, but also as someone who wants to support cruelty free brands, I loved that this Vegan Cuts Leaping Bunny Fresh Start Kit ($27.95 USD) helped me discover them. I have combination skin and the Alba Botanica ACNEdote Clean 'n Treat Towelettes, Wellinhand Action Remedies Tangerine Vanilla Astringent Toner and Aubrey Organics EveryDay Basics Moisturizer have worked so well with my skin. The towelettes have been a great makeup remover without leaving a greasy residue behind; the toner's scent is a welcomed one as most toners I've used have that herbal or medicinal fragrance to them; and the moisturizer absorbs quickly and actually makes my skin look more matte (which I am a huge fan of.) I've heard such great things about Crazy Rumors, and as a lip balm addict, this shea butter balm has been on my lips since I opened the kit. Smells yummy and my lips are so hydrated. JASON Antiplaque Toothpaste is a mix between paste and gel and does a great job cleaning my teeth. I loved that the toothbrush from Preserve is made from recycled yogurt cups! This was a great way to show my sons exactly what recycling and repurposing means. As someone who is kind of weird in loving to remove peeling skin from a sunburn (don't judge), I can now move that into a healthier habit with Montagne Jeunesse's Cucumber Peel Off Face Masque. There's something therapeutic about taking off the old to reveal the new. In my box was the Island Mango lotion from Desert Essence and it'll remind you of an island getaway. And lastly, the mojito mint breath spray from hello is a must-have in your handbag. Another benefit of purchasing the Fresh Start Kit is that a portion of the proceeds are donated to the Leaping Bunny program. (I encourage you to learn more about what they do!) Have you purchased any of Vegan Cuts beauty or snack boxes? Leave a comment and let me know! 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! *Disclosure

If you are part of the sisterhood that is combination/oily skin, then you'll want to learn more about Eumora, a facial bar made of moor and HmA. For as far back as I can remember, my skin has never been gifted as "normal" and transitions from combination in the Fall/Winter to oily in the Spring/Summer. This means I am forever trying out skin care products that will help keep my skin in check. Eumora comes in a small box that contains 4 facial bars. The bars have no fragrance to them and they are the average size of a traditional facial bar. The bar is comprised of moor clay, an ingredient they call HmA (hydration microAlgae factor), olive oil, chamomile extract and glycerin.  Eumora is natural, vegan and cruelty free. However, it does contain wheat, so if you have a gluten sensitivity, ask your dermatologist before using. The ingredient label is very straightforward and the ingredients themselves are few (less is always better!) With my understanding of skin care, I could tell that this facial bar would not only absorb oil, dirt and impurities via the moor clay, but would also be replenished with moisture from the olive oil and glycerin, provide antiseptic qualities (read: aid in decreasing acne) due to the algae and soothe skin with the chamomile. A deeper look into the two main ingredients: Moor and HmA: HmA (Hydration microalgae factor) is formulated and derived from microalgae cultivated in the fresh water lakes. It includes a component that is similar to the structure of hyaluronate 3D mesh structure, which aids in moisture absorption. With a unique concentration of natural active ingredients, extracted from the essence of microalgae, it is an effective hydrating agent and why your skin won't feel stripped after using it. HmA doesn't irritate, so it is safe for sensitive skin. Moor is a rare form of nutrient-rich peat from Austria created by the gradual transformation of herbs, plants and flowers which have been permanently submerged under water or underground. Free from the decaying effects of oxygen and in the correct climatic and biological conditions, the plant matter undergoes a 'ripening' transformation process over thousands of years to produce a homogeneous dark substance called Moor. Moor is an antiseptic, which is why this facial bar is great for those who suffer from acne or the ocassional blemish,  it's detoxifying, an anti-inflammatory and hypoallergenic. To use Eumora, simply wet your face, work the bar into a lather in your hands and apply the lather to your face. Let the lather lie on your skin like you would a mask, for about 3 minutes and rinse. I noticed right away how clean my skin felt (without that completely stripped of moisture feeling) and how soft it was. While the Eumora website says you won't need a toner, serum or moisturizer when using the bar, I don't really buy into that because you always need a second method of hydration. Bars are meant to cleanse, and can hydrate, but not in the same way a moisturizer would. Regardless, you always need to cleanse your skin, and I do like how this facial bar was effective for my skin type. Despite the bar's small size, it seriously lasts a long time when stored properly (aka don't let it sit in water.) Only needing lather to get the job done, each Eumora bar lasts about 6 weeks+. While I have combination/oily skin, Eumora is good for all skin types and can be used as part of your morning and evening beauty routine. If you go to TryEumora.com, you can request a free product sample, just pay shipping and handling ($4.95.) For a limited time only, visitors who request the free trial will also have the ability to get a 30% discount off their first box ordered of Eumora Classic plus get free shipping. Have you tried this product? Let me know in the comments! 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+

As a beauty blogger, I'm inundated in the months leading up to and during Breast Cancer Awareness Month with pitches for all sorts of beauty products. Each brand aligns itself with the goal of raising funds by donating a certain percentage to the cause.

I'm often discouraged when I see 10% assigned, or a vague statement and you're not really sure which charity the money is going to, or better still, that the money is going to a charity that spends more money on administrative costs than it does research and supporting the local community.

I get further disgusted when brands don themselves in pink ribbons with no identifiable percentage going to charity. It's all for the fanfare and targets uneducated consumers who will toss money at something in the name of a cause.

I recently watched a broadcast on my local TV station which was promoting the Susan G. Komen Race For the Cure. The spokesperson said, quite proudly, "100% of 25% of your donation goes to research." You got that, right? In other words, 75% of your donation does not support research for breast cancer nor does it go to support local women battling the disease.

As someone who knows plenty of women who have had breast cancer, as I'm sure you do too, it is disheartening. While I understand that administrative costs need to be paid, and 100% of your donation never goes directly to research, how can you find those charities that get very little promotion yet do the most for women with breast cancer?

I decided to dig deeper and came up with a list. This list is based on Charity Navigator's scores of the most highly rated. Highly rated means they are fiscally responsible and the majority of monies received go to research and supporting local branches. 

National Breast Cancer Foundation

Living Beyond Breast Cancer

Lynn Sage Breast Cancer Foundation

Breast Cancer Alliance

Of the few listed above, I know that many have a love-hate relationship with BCRF as it was founded by Evelyn Lauder, who coincidentally passed away from ovarian cancer but was a champion of women battling breast cancer. Many lament that Estee Lauder products have toxic chemicals in them that contribute to cancer and other illnesses. However, I think the brand and the charity are two separate entities, in my personal opinion.

As far as purchasing products that donate a portion of the proceeds to a breast cancer charity, I'm not really a fan. Again, a brand may align themselves with a charity like Susan G. Komen promising 10% of the purchase is donated to them. If what my local Komen representative said is true, then that means only 25% of 10% is then designated for research. I'm no math wiz, but I'm pretty sure that equals pennies. Wouldn't you rather take 100% of your money and donate it to charity?

That said, if you just so happen to be in the market for a new lipstick anyway and the charity is one of the ones mentioned above, then go for it. Why I won't be spotlighting BCA beauty products. I personally like to support my local community when it comes to breast cancer.

While the above charities are national, there are many worthy charities and support centers on a local level that do so much for people living with cancer. For example, The Center For Cancer Wellness, Candy's Place, here in Northeast PA is one of them. I strongly encourage you to look within your own community to find such gems who are focused on the health and wellness of your neighbor battling the disease.

So as the magazines and the media gear up for BCA, I ask that you share this post with others so that they can donate and get involved with charities that do the most for our loved ones battling breast cancer. If we give a spotlight to the charities that are lesser known, but doing more, I can only hope it will help more women. I'd love to hear your opinion! 

This is sponsored post for Nexxus through Condé Nast. All opinions and amazingly vibrant hair are my own.

For those of us who color our hair, there is one thing we can all agree on - watching the perfect hair color fade away is a sad, sad experience. I've tried a variety of hair care tricks to make my hair color last longer; from washing with cool water to washing my hair less in general to using sulfate-free products. Now Nexxus has developed a color-safe hair care system to take the guess work out of the fading hair color mystery and retain hair's vibrancy. The Nexxus Color Assure system includes a Pre-Wash Primer, Shampoo, Conditioner and Glossing Tonic. There are a few things about this system that make it different from the typical sulfate-free and color-safe hair care lines. For one, the key to this entire line lives within the Pre-Wash Primer. While yes, it does add an extra step into your hair routine, and yes, there is a learning curve, it does seem to make a lot of difference. The shampoo and conditioner, while sulfate-free, are also oil-based like the Pre-Wash Primer and Glossing Tonic. The Glossing Tonic is like the icing on the cake, providing a healthy and weightless shine to your hair. The Nexxus Color Assure Pre-Wash Primer is a pre-treatment to shield hair in the shower. It helps to repel water, so color stays longer and more vibrant. The Pre-Wash Primer is sulfate-free and infused with a blend of clear oils, including almond, coconut and argan oil. • Almond oil is known to lock in moisture, nourish hair and reduce breakage. • Coconut oil is known to provide softness and elasticity. • Argan oil is known to improve shine and vibrancy. • White Orchid Extract is known to provide moisture and works to seal and protect hair by repelling water from humidity and keep it from entering the core. To use the Pre-Wash Primer the directions say to use 5-7 pumps and work through hair starting at your ends and working up to your roots. You shouldn't saturate your hair or else you'll be overdoing it. Think of it more like a serum that you would use for styling or to prevent frizz - you only lightly apply it to your hair and sparingly. Now that I've chopped most of my hair off into a bob, 5-7 pumps is way too much. In fact, the most I could use was 1 pump or else my hair would be really greasy. In addition to my hair being short, it is also very fine. If you have fine hair, you'd probably want to use a half pump. However, the Pre-Wash Primer is the most important step, so don't skip it! Once you've worked the Pre-Wash Primer into your hair, you then apply the Color Assure Vibrancy Retention Shampoo and Conditioner followed by the Glossing Tonic (once hair is towel-dried.) All of the products are fragrance free, which has been interesting since I'm used to having some sort of fragrance in my hair. The proof is in the before and after! I used this hair care line exclusively for a month and snapped a picture on the first day I colored my hair and 4 weeks after. As you can see, my hair is so vibrant, shiny and my hair even looks darker! It is kind of amazing. Not only do you reap the benefits of retaining your hair color longer using Color Assure, but shiny hair also gives the impression of healthy hair (even when you heat style it as much as I do.) Look for the Nexxus Color Assure Pre-Wash Primer, Color Assure Vibrancy Retention Shampoo, Color Assure Vibrancy Retention Conditioner and Color Assure Glossing Tonic in mass retailers, select drugstores and supermarkets nationwide. Nexxus is also cruelty free. 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+

You deserve to be pampered. Do you believe that? You should! In this video I talk about A Girl's Gotta Spa! Energizing Citrus Body Lotion, including the ingredients, how it works and what I was looking to achieve in order to meet your needs when creating this beauty brand. This isn't your typical shea lotion and I truly believe it is the best lotion for dry skin (or any skin!) Watch the video for more info: Ingredients: Aqua (Water), Olea Europaea (Olive) Fruit Oil, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea Butter), Theobroma Cacao (Cocoa) Seed Butter, Cetearyl Alcohol (and) Polysorbate 60, Citrus Paradisii (Pink Grapefruit) Peel Oil, Phenoxyethanol (and) Caprylyl Glycol (and) Sorbic Acid, Citrus Limon (Lemon) Peel Oil, Citrus Latifolia (Lime) Oil, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis (Orange) Peel Oil. Facts: Vegan, 94% natural, certified cruelty free, and made in the USA. Where to buy: www.agirlsgottaspa.com/store, and Amazon.com. See our website for a full list of retailers. Sign up for our product newsletter and receive 10% off your first purchase: http://eepurl.com/ODuT1 (Can only be used directly on agirlsgottaspa.com) Please leave a comment if you've used it!

We all know that nutritious foods are good for our overall health, but did you know that it can also help you achieve glowing skin? Fellow beauty blogger, Alexis Wolfer of The Beauty Bean, has written a book complete with DIY beauty treatments, as well as recipes that will be your true Recipe for Radiance. Alexis was gracious enough to share two, simply delicious recipes, which should serve as the perfect appetizer to wet your palate for more from her book! Age-Reversing Wine Mask Good for: All skin types In much the same way that red wine is anti-aging from the inside out, the antioxidants in red wine (including resveratrol) make it a great anti-aging skincare treatment when applied topically. Mixed with egg whites to tighten fine lines and retinol-rich egg yolks, this mask takes happy hour to a whole new level—albeit, one in which you may not want to leave your house. 1 egg 1 egg yolk 3 tablespoons red wine Whisk all ingredients together until well combined. Use a pastry brush to apply a thin layer to your face, neck and décolleté, avoiding your eye area. Let dry before washing off with warm water and a washcloth. Roasted Watermelon Gazpacho Vegetarian, vegan, dairy-free, gluten-free, nut-free Lycopene, found in cooked tomatoes and watermelon, helps defend against sun damage—and might even help both prevent and treat skin cancer, according to the American Cancer Society. Keep this gazpacho in your refrigerator all summer long for a skin-healing soup that’s as refreshing as it is healing. Serves 2 to 4 3 vine tomatoes, chopped 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil 3 cups watermelon, seeded 1 clove garlic 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice 1/4 cup roasted almonds 1/2 tablespoon sweet smoked paprika 1 medium cucumber, peeled and divided Salt, to taste Cayenne pepper (optional) 2 tablespoons diced sweet onion On medium heat, sauté tomatoes in the oil until fork-tender. Transfer to a blender. Add watermelon, garlic, lime juice, almonds, paprika, and half of the cucumber. Blend until smooth. Add salt to taste and cayenne pepper, if desired. Refrigerate until chilled and ready to serve. Stir in the diced onion. Thinly slice the remaining cucumber. Top the soup with the cucumber slices. If you try either of these recipes, I'd love to know! And don't forget to grab Alexis' book Recipe For Radiance: Discover Beauty's Best Kept Secrets in Your Kitchen on Amazon! 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+ *Disclosure

Two of the most luxurious colors out there - whether jewelry, accessories, home decor or makeup - is silver and gold. I'm not the matchy matchy type and firmly believe you can mix and match these metals. Here are my top ten drool worthy silver and gold makeup products and some nail polish for good measure. 1. Milani Jewel FX Nail Lacquer 2. NYX Studio Liquid Eyeliner - Silver 3. Butter LONDON Cream Eye Shadow - Randy 4. Rouge Bunny Rouge - Highlighting Liquid - Sea of Showers (White gold) 5. Smith & Cult Nail Polish - Bridge & Tunnel 6. Charlotte Tilbury Colour Chameleon - Champagne Diamonds For Blue Eyes 7. Jane Cosmetics Cream Eye Shadow - Gilded Gold 8. Napoleon Perdis Luminous Lip Veil Gloss - Gold and Beautiful 9. Kre-at Beauty Silver Splash Lash 10. Too Faced Bulletproof 24-Hour Eye Liner - Silver Lining What are you favorites? 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+ Disclosure: affiliate links

Continuing to prove that nail art doesn't need to be difficult, I asked Nidia from Lit From Within to recreate a nail look with a tutorial.  For this nail art how to, Nidia took inspiration from A Nail Addict Named Sonia @badgirlnails. First, paint your nails with a fun glitter.  Go as blingy as you like, but if it's textured, you'll probably want to put down a thick topcoat before moving on with this look. When you're using striping tape, you need to wait for your base layer to be *completely* dry.  You can't fake this step.  Use a fast drying topcoat if you want to hurry the process a little, but putting tape on wet polish means that the polish will stick to the tape. The key is patience! Next, apply the striping tape in the pattern desired.  I'm doing accents on my ring and thumb, so I put the striping tape in a fan pattern for those, and more of a diagonal pattern for the others. After you've secured the tape (especially in the corners!) it's time for the coordinating polish.  Apply it in one thick layer, making sure that it's in all the nooks and crannies of your design. As soon as you're done with one nail, gently pull off the tape.  Don't let that polish dry, or it will come off in weird chunks! I like to clean up at this point.  My trusty $1 ELF concealer brush dipped in acetone is perfect for this. A topcoat fixes most mistakes, smoothes out the layers, and gives you a sticky surface on which to stick your rhinestones.  Use a little on the end of a dotting tool to help you move the rhinestones into place.  If you want the stones to stick better, apply another coat of topcoat over the stones. And, you're done! This is a great technique that can be used to create lots of different looks.  Use a base of neons under a coat of black, and you've got a laser light show! Change the direction of the tape and add studs to the center, and you can create a quilted look. If you liked this nail art, please feel free to stop by Lit From Within's Facebook page, Twitter, Instagram, Google+, or check out her blog, Lit From Within. 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+