Nothing says complete and utter relaxation to me quite like indulging in a massage, especially a 75 minute long massage, followed by total body exfoliation, body mask and a luxuriating soak in a warm flower-filled bath.  This is how I spent two hours at a spa in Bali thanks to the suggestion of a woman I was lucky enough to share a taxi ride with.  As soon as I got out of the taxi I knew where I was headed to next: Bodyworks spa in Seminyak, Bali.

Bodyworks has been in business in Bali for over 15 years and they always seem to be insanely busy.  The Bodyworks Spa Menu includes a wide variety of services ranging from traditional Balinese massage to  facials, nail care, hair removal and hair treatments.  Pretty much everything on the Bodyworks Spa Menu looked pretty enticing, but none as much as the Exfoliation Massage, otherwise known as the Mandi Lulur, and this treatment was everything I had expected and more. The treatment began with a deliciously relaxing 75 minute massage, after which my entire body was covered with a grown granular paste (the traditional Javanese lulur.)  The paste is made up of turmeric, sandalwood, cinnamon, ground nuts and rice.  After letting the paste dry on my skin for a few minutes it was gently rubbed off to exfoliate my skin.  My skin was then rinsed off and cooling fresh yogurt was applied to my entire body; including my face.  I was told that the yogurt contains enzymes that stimulates cell activity and restores the pH balance of my skin.  After letting the yogurt mask sit for a few minutes, my skin was again rinsed after which I was led to a bath tub filled with flower petals in which I soaked for the last 10-15 minutes of my treatment. I emerged from this treatment utterly relaxed with smooth, soft, glowing skin.  I have tried a lot of spa services and I can honestly say that this is one of the best, most indulgent spa services I have ever received and it was only about $45 US dollars! Bodyworks is a definite "must" if you happen to find yourself in Bali. 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!

The first time my fiancé described a Balinese Creambath to me, I swear I heard harps playing and birds gayly chirping in the background as he waxed poetic about what sounded positively heavenly.  Now four years later we are in Bali and the first order of business for me was to experience a Creambath first hand.  There are a ton of spas and salons that offer this service, but I wanted to experience the specific treatment he had described to me exactly the way he described it, which led us to Amo Spa in Seminyak, Bali. 

Amo Spa is the creation of native New York Supermodel/Actress Navia Nguyen and is a beautifully serene space with an amazing service menu and an expertly trained staff. 

Before my service began, I had the pleasure of sipping on a cool refreshing glass of wine from the in-house bar.  After changing into proper Amo Spa attire, my insanely decadent  hour-long service began with a shampoo, during which I went weak in the knees from the massage that accompanied my shampoo experience.  

The conditioning cream was then applied to my hair, section by section, and slowly, luxuriously massaged in by the stylist (who I may begin stalking on a regular basis.)  Not only was the product massaged into my scalp, but  my head, neck and shoulders were also continuously massaged with oil as I sat like jello in a chair.

With the conditioning cream still in my hair, I was placed under a steamer for about 20 minutes.  The steamer helps to infuse the cream into hair for an even deeper conditioning.  My hair was then rinsed and a tonic was applied to it. 

Believe me, ladies and gentlemen, when I tell you that had I not been looking into a mirror when I touched my hair, I would not have believed it was my hair I was touching.  It was incredibly soft and silky.  I was able to easily run my hands through my hair while wet, which is usually not a good idea given my super thick, curly textured hair. 

After blow drying my hair, not only was it soft and silky, but also wonderfully shiny and bouncy!  I now daydream about  Navia taking Amo Spa stateside and eradicating bad hair days one state at a time...a girl can dream. 

Aside from, "What is the perfect hair color for me?" the second most asked question is, "How do I prevent my hair color from fading?" While I was at Zotos Professional's headquarters, I had the opportunity for AGEbeautiful's Creative Director, Mike Petrizzi, to highlight my hair. I asked him to lend a few tips from how to prevent hair color fading to explaining the difference between permanent and demi permanent hair color. The AGEbeautiful hair color line and hair care products are available exclusively at Sally Beauty. 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

Varicose veins are those pesky, enlarged blood vessels that are often squiggly and discolored in appearance. They can form anywhere but most commonly occur on the legs. This vascular condition occurs in half of the U.S. adult population and is most common in women. With millions of people developing these veins it is important to know what causes them and how they can be prevented.

What Causes Varicose Veins?

Varicose veins and the smaller scale condition known as spider veins occur when there is an increased pressure in the veins that weakens the vessel walls over time. It may even occur when vein walls are deprived of hormones or nutrients. Although it occurs in all adult populations, women, pregnant woman, and the elderly are most susceptible to this condition.

How Can Varicose Veins Be Prevented?

In most cases varicose veins do not pose as a serious risk to your health. However, in worst case scenarios, this condition can lead to serious circulation problems due to blood being unable to travel through the clots in varicose veins. The malfunction of these veins means that less blood is transferred to the heart which in turn can pose as a serious health concern. Most of the time, however, the clotting in varicose veins just leads to symptoms like: swelling, itching, burning, tenderness, aching, and of course unattractive looking veins. While these veins can often be inevitable due to hereditary genes or uncontrollable circumstances, there are various methods of prevention such as:

• Avoiding Too Much Time on Your Feet: Excessive standing puts enduring loads of pressure on your feet and legs, which can lead to blood pooling within your veins. To avoid this, be sure to relax your legs from time to time and elevate them above your heart when you can to improve circulation. Also, it is important to always have a good posture anytime you are resting or standing, as this also a great way to improve circulation.

• Exercising Regularly: Through exercise, the entire circulatory system can be improved while reducing overall high blood pressure. These two components are excellent to improve when it comes to preventing varicose veins.

• Living a Healthy Lifestyle: Aside from exercise, it is also important to maintain a healthy weight, as this decreases the work load put on your veins. Additionally, it is important to stay away from smoking and high-estrogen birth control pills, as these can diminish the health of your veins.

• Wearing Proper Clothing: Avoid tight clothing and footwear to improve circulation. It has also been observed that compression hose can help soothe and prevent varicose veins.

When it comes to the bottom line, any improvement in health or circulation can be viewed as a preventative measure for varicose veins. If this information got to you too late, there are various treatments available for the treatment of varicose veins.

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+

Dr. Thomas Wright is a board certified liposuction and cosmetic surgeon in St. Louis, MO. He is also the founder of the Laser Lipo & Vein Center.

Marina Azizova, Director of Research and Development at Zotos Professional

If there is anything that I learned while in Darien, Connecticut recently visiting Zotos Professionals' headquarters, it's that the signs of aging are not just visible via your skin.

I had the opportunity to sit down with Marina Azizova, Director of Research and Development at Zotos Professional to talk about what happens to hair as we age and how their new AGEbeautiful home hair color and hair care collection helps to combat these signs of aging. Marina has been with Zotos for 15 years working with aerosol, hair color and as part of the hair care lead development of technology.

I asked Marina what the most exciting part of being a chemist at Zotos has been and she told me it was the technology of anti-aging hair care because it covers such a wide range of people. The biggest misconception, and it is often perpetuated by the beauty industry, is that anti-aging when it comes to hair, simply means combating gray hair. This isn't true.

Lipids in your hair is important (moisture, flexibility and shine) and as we age, we lose it. You may have noticed your hair getting drier, more brittle and of course, going gray. The reason your hair begins to gray is it loses melanin and without it, loses UV protection. Most of the signs of aging hair begins at age 30, however, in your 20's is when keratin production in your hair begins to decrease. By 40, sebum production decreases which lends to a dry scalp and dry hair and even visibly thinning hair. Now you may notice that your hair is dry, but your scalp is the opposite - super oily. This is because if your scalp was always normal to dry, it then becomes oily in your older years, but if your scalp was always oily, it becomes significantly drier as you age. Either way, the result is still the same despite your scalp being oily or dry in your 50's because hair becomes coarser as we age, making it virtually impossible for hair to absorb sebum and remain hydrated. Unfortunately, when hair is drier, it also doesn't move the same.

As I spoke with Marina, the lightbulb literally went off for me. I'm soon-to-be 40 and I've definitely noticed these things, yet NO ONE ever talks about this. I've never once seen a hair care commercial that addresses these issues and that's one of the main reasons I'm supportive of AGEbeautiful. AGEbeautiful hair color not only addresses wiry gray and gray hair, but dullness, dryness and thinning hair. It contains Melanin, Keratin Peptide, silk protein, and Vitamin E to replenish hair with the essential components that are lost with aging.

AGEbeautiful is available exclusively at Sally Beauty and is available in permanent and demi-permanent liquid hair color. They also have a full hair care line, as well.

What are some of the signs of aging you've noticed with your hair? 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! Shannon on G+

It’s almost summer and that means more skin exposure than anytime of the year! Obviously you will want to look your best while getting in your swimsuit or light summer clothes. One of the greatest factors that influences how we look is the health of our skin. Most skin damage is directly related to the sun’s harmful UV rays. For this reason it important to take precautions when exposed to sunlight and to also ensure that your skin remains looking its best during the warm summer months. Thankfully there are many options available to help skin look brighter, fresher, moisturized, and rejuvenated. So next time you go on a summer outing consider the following treatments to ensure that your skin looks fresh and healthy!

Chemical Peel

With over 1 million Americans undergoing chemical peels last year, it is among the most popular and most effective skin treatments out there. Plus it yields fast results!

So how does it work? A chemical peel targets the damaged, outer-most layer of skin through the application of a chemical solution. The process only take minutes and involves little to no pain. Once the patient leaves, the unwanted top layer of skin will gently shed leaving behind a healthy new layer of skin. This procedure is typically performed in the facial area and results in smoother and healthier looking skin.

Facials

While we have all seen that tacky lady walking around with green cream on her face, a facial is actually a terrific approach to achieve healthy skin. A facial uses a specially designed solution to exfoliate, moisturize, and clear skin pores. With that said facials are effective at restoring a youthful, fresh face and are great at treating conditions like acne or rosacea.

GloMinerals Make-Up

If undergoing a chemical peel treatment or sitting down for a nice facial is not your thing, then the application of GloMinerals make-up may be the best route towards healthy skin. GloMinerals is unique in that it consists of high quality pharmaceutical ingredients such as:  antioxidants, vitamins C, A, K, E and green tea extracts. In addition to being cosmetically pleasing, the exclusive formula is effective at improving skin health and the prevention of free radical damage. So not only will this make-up enhance your appearance but it will also enhance your health.

Healthy Skin

Do not fall victim to unhealthy looking skin. As explained there are various options available to enhance the health of your skin. These treatments offer great results that are followed by a nice boost in confidence. While summer may be a great time to showcase healthy looking skin, it important to stay protected from too much sun exposure and to ensure that your skin is always looking its best.

 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+ Dr. Lawrence Broder is a cosmetic surgeon in Austin, Texas and founder of Beleza MedSpa.

I recently had the opportunity to spend some time at Zotos Professional's headquarters to talk with their colorists and hairstylists. My focus during the visit was to learn more about the AGEbeautiful hair care line, which is the first salon quality, professional hair color intended for use at home. It's also the first hair color that targets the 5 signs of aging hair. Check out the video below of my interview with Christine from Zotos, as we talk about one hair myth and some of the signs of aging hair: Many thanks to Christine for taking the time to speak with me, and the whole Zotos Professional team. You can find AGEbeautiful anti-aging hair color exclusively at Sally Beauty. 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+

Something I've learned in my 8+ years of beauty blogging, is that many brands like to say they are something without any proof to back it.

Brands say they are natural, but the ingredient label tells a different story. Brands say they are organic because they assume you won't know that sometimes natural doesn't necessarily also mean organic.

Brands also say they are cruelty free knowing that there may not really be a way for you to know one way or another.

When I launched the A Girl's Gotta Spa! bath and body line, I wanted to make sure you knew who we were and not have to guess.

A Girl's Gotta Spa! is a natural beauty brand. Our product pages clearly state how natural our products are so that you don't have to wonder. We are also transparent about our ingredients and have a page dedicated to telling you, in detail, what our products contain.

A Girl's Gotta Spa! products are vegan. Our initial products are vegan and it is our goal to try to keep future products vegan as well. If we can't for some reason or another (such as with a lip balm), the product page will clearly tell you so.

A Girl's Gotta Spa! does not test on animals, our ingredient suppliers do not test on animals and our manufacturer does not test on animals. While we do review all kinds of products on our beauty blog (and that may be confusing to some), I did not want to be the brand who tested on animals.

We now can officially back up this claim with our Leaping Bunny certification. You can find us listed in their Cruelty Free Consumer Shopping Guide. Our mission at A Girl's Gotta Spa! is to empower women to believe - You Deserve to Be Pampered - and we do this without harming any animals, without toxic ingredients and without harming the earth.

I hope you love our products as much as we do. If you have questions, please leave a comment or contact us. 

It may sound silly, but even though I don't drink, those Corona commercials snag my attention every time.

Sounds of the ocean, the sense of relaxation and the refreshing lime placed perfectly in the bottle neck. It's that lime that calls out to me saying, "Let me quench your thirst."

The same could be said for lime in beauty products, because it has so many benefits.

Lime essential oil is a natural astringent and clears oily skin, so it is perfect for acne prone skin. When used in body care, such as A Girl's Gotta Spa! Energizing Citrus Body Wash, Body Lotion and Salt Scrub - be sure to use it where dirt and grime tend to build up the most, such as your back or chest.

Sometimes the most obvious place to use it (your back) is often overlooked in the shower since you are already rinsing off with water or the shampoo trailing down your back. Plus, backs and chests need to be moisturized too!

The fragrance of lime when applied topically also revitalizes the senses and plays a part in mood. It creates clarity and mental focus.

And the same goes for the other citrus essential oils in A Girl's Gotta Spa! Energizing Citrus: grapefruit, lemon and orange. Lime, in addition to these other oils, are known to be uplifting. In a word, the fragrance is simply happy. (Que Pharrell here.)

As with any citrus oil, they do cause photosensitivity, so be sure to wear a good broad spectrum sunscreen when heading outdoors (which you should be doing as part of your anti-aging and skin cancer prevention regimen anyway!)

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Honestly, the easy button was made for people like me. There are just some things I have no patience for, and nail art is one of them. I wish I could tell you that as a beauty blogger I am super creative and uber crafty and create endless nail looks to swoon over, but the truth is, my nails go bare most of the time. It's a tragedy really. For some reason, ever since I wore shellac back in 2011, my nails have never grown to any substantial length. But that's not my only excuse. I simply lack the skill required to paint cool scenes on my tiny nails. Then Pinterest to my rescue! I came across an amazingly easy nail art tutorial, and I was pretty excited to be able to recreate it with some modifications. You'll need: A large piece of paper 2 Flossers 3 Bottles of your favorite polish in complementary colors 1 Base Coat 1 Top Coat I recently received Ricky's NYC RickyColor Nail Polish in Final Share Weekend (hot pink), Sweating in the Subway (bright purple) and Banker Husband (bright teal.) This was a great opportunity to wear them all at once (and to show off my mad new skills.) How to:

• Apply a thin layer of base coat.
• Apply one solid color  to all nails. (I chose hot pink.)
• Lay your paper flat. Towards the top swipe one color a few times (generously) in the same spot so that you have a thin layer of color.
• With one hand under that part of the paper (to push the paper into the thread), use your other hand to dip the thread of your flosser into the pool. Be sure to ONLY get the thread covered in polish (or else it will be a big mess on your hands.)
• Now firmly apply the floss three times across your nails on one hand in different spots. (I did mine straight across, stacked.)
• Apply your final color on the paper, swiping enough to create a thin layer of it.
• With one hand under that part of the paper, use your other hand to dip the thread of your flosser into the pool, getting only the thread wet with polish.
• Firmly apply the floss three times across your nails on the same hand, but in different spots. (I did mine diagnol.)
• Repeat these same steps on your other hand.
• Lastly apply your top coat and let dry.

Easy peasy. I love that each nail doesn't look the same, yet it still looks cool. All the colors work together and the look is eye catching. The original how to called for putting the polish pooled in a bowl, but I didn't want to waste more color than I had to and I only wanted to get the thread wet with paint and not the whole flosser. What do you think? If you replicate this how to, 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! Shannon on G+ *Disclosure