I think I can speak for most of us when I say ... I am so over this winter! It can feel free to exit stage left anytime now. This winter has been brutal! Snow removal has been a pain, navigating the slippery roads has been a disaster, and the cold has been killer on my skin. Being a compulsive lip balm and moisturizer user, I don’t remember ever feeling as dry as I have this winter. I’ve never had (or needed) a special Winter skin care regimen. My usual daily moisturizer and lip balm were all I needed … until this Polar Vortex-out of control-freezing cold-full of snow-winter we are in the middle of. My skin hates this winter and to be honest, it started to get a painful. My poor face actually started to hurt and my lips … oh my lips … they were SO dry it was painful.  My usual routine wasn’t cutting it this winter, so I’ve enlisted some new products to join my daily routine and I can report that I am dry no longer.  I’m thankful for that. It was a terrible feeling to smack my lips together and have it hurt. Same goes for my face. The Groundhog saw his shadow, so we’ve got a bit longer to suffer this winter! If you’re experiencing dry skin or dry lips, here’s what did the trick for me. Let’s start with lips. I thought I had tried every lip balm under the sun, but apparently I missed one. My usuals weren’t working this winter. I don’t know if my lips were just too used to them or what, but my go-to balms weren’t moisturizing my lips enough to protect them from this killer cold weather and they were drying out against my best efforts to keep them coated. I don’t know why I didn’t try LypSyl sooner, but now that I have I can’t imagine not having a tube with me at all times. Maybe the secret to nourishing my super dry winter worn lips was LypSyl’s pure Swedish beeswax … whatever it was, my lips are happy again and that makes me happy.

LypSyl, which is SPF 15, is ultra light and moisturizing.  It has a slight minty tingle when you first apply it and the packaging is cute. There’s a little bee on the side as the slider to get the product to come up and down.  Rich moisture without a thick formula; it was seriously a godsend after suffering from weeks of dry painful lips. As far as my skin goes, my usual day and night moisturizing wasn’t cutting it. My face was starting to feel the effects of the negative temps and for the first time in my life, the skin on my face actually started to hurt. Being someone who has used facial moisturizer since I was like 10, I’ve never experienced dry skin on my face before, let alone painful skin on my face. After doing some research, adding a Vitamin C serum to my daily routine seemed to be my best bet during the winter. Lumene Bright Now Vitamin C Dry Skin Cocktail (around $20 depending on where you buy it) will not only be my winter addition, but likely a year round new addition to the daily routine.  As far as serums go, this is pretty inexpensive considering it’s fabulous and you can buy it at your local drugstore. Both major wins. More proof that great skin care products don't have to be expensive and bought from some fancy counter.

The low down on Lumene's Vitamin C Dry Skin Cocktail: Highly conditioning bioactive oil complex combines cranberry and cloudberry seed oils to help nourish and vitalize even the driest skin. Improves skin smoothness and visibly diminish the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles caused by dehydration. Suitable for normal and especially dry skin. Formulated without parabens. The secret weapon inside: Arctic Cloudberry! It’s the ultimate, multi-task beautifier. Its age-defying seed oil is rich in omega acids that protect andstrengthen the skin. The berry's high vitamin C content – more than double the amount in oranges – is particularly beneficial in restoring  skin, while the detoxifying properties of the nectar give skin a brighter, more radiant glow. Lumene’s Bright Now Vitamin C Dry Skin Cocktail was pretty much my skin saver this winter. I use it most days in the morning before my moisturizer and at night after I wash my face. While I haven’t necessarily noticed a difference in the appearance on my fine lines and wrinkles, (I’ve only been using it for a few weeks) I have without a doubt noticed the difference in how nourished my skin feels. It feels like my thirsty skin guzzled it all right in. The actual formula reminds me of the left over juices you would find inside the package that a paper face mask comes in. The packaging often tells you to use the left over juices on your hands and neck, so I’m very familiar with rubbing that serum all over myself. Lumene Vitamin C Dry Skin Cocktail feels just like it… and that’s a fabulous thing! Layering this under a good moisturizer will help to instantly bring you skin back to life and get rid of any dryness. I will without a doubt be purchasing both of these products again. While I'm happy to have my winter skin problems solved, let's hope we don't have TOO much longer of this cold to suffer through! Stay hydrated my friends! If you found this skin care review helpful, please be sure to Like it, Pin it and Share with friends! 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!

Normally the last thing I consider doing with red wine is applying it to my skin, I mean that just sounds like a complete waste of a good glass...or bottle of wine.  But little did I know that this entire time I could've been drinking and having a spa experience at the same time for under $20. I've been aware of the fact that consuming red wine in moderation can protect my heart and can also protect my body from various diseases caused by inflammation thanks to resveratrol, the antioxidant in red wine that has anti-inflammatory properties, but was completely unaware that I can also apply wine to my face, straight from the bottle for beautiful, glowing skin. I guess there IS a reason why red wine facials have gained a cult-like following in spas worldwide.  Combined with the right ingredients, red wine can be used in a facial masque, facial scrub and facial toner. One of the many and easiest DIY Red Wine Facial Masque, combines raw organic honey, Greek yogurt and red wine to help fight blemishes and redness, moisturize and provide anti-aging benefits.  Raw cacao powder can also be added to this masque for an additional dose of antioxidants and anti-aging properties.  Yogurt can be replaced with egg whites for a face masque that helps to lighten dark spots. If you're looking to battle oily skin, red wine can be combined with Greek yogurt and tea tree essential oil and applied to the skin for about 20 minutes. For exfoliating, red wine can be combined with oatmeal to create a paste.  Just massage into your face and rinse. As a facial toner, either soak cotton balls in red wine and apply directly to your face or transfer some red wine to a mini spray bottle and spritz directly unto your skin, then massage it in with your fingertips.  A red wine toner will help to keep the skin clear, smooth and soft. With my new knowledge of all of these amazing benefits of red wine, having the girls over for wine now has a whole new meaning...I'll drink to that! How have you incorporated red wine into your beauty routine? If you found these beauty tips helpful, please be sure to Like it, Pin it and Share with friends! 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 biggest mistake people make is tweezing too much. Avoid over plucking as it can take months for brows to grow back. Follow these tips from Malynda Vigliotti, aka Boom Boom, to get the perfect brows every time. Brows are sisters, not twins – they should be proportionate, but not identical. Tip: The space between brows should be equal to, or a little wider than eyes. Take a long eye shadow brush or pencil and hold it parallel to the side of the nose. Where the brush meets the brow is where brows should begin. To find the end, extend the brush diagonally from the nostril following the outside edge of the eye toward the brow. Where the inside edge of the brush hits is where it should end. If brows are too far apart, it can make the nose appear larger – yikes! (See the step by step brow guide with pictures.) Arch Madness. The best brows have a slight arch. To find, hold a brush parallel to the outside edge of the colored part of the eye (the iris). Where the brush meets the brow is where the highest part of the arch should be. Brush brows up – it gives a clearer picture of the situation and lifts everything. Leave no stragglers behind! Read: 3 Brow Essentials Sterilize with a clean surface, use an antiseptic wipe and a pair of clean sharp Tweezerman tweezers with a slanted tip (they will last a lifetime because you can mail them in to the company to be sharpened). When tweezing, hold the slanted part of the tweezer as close to the skin as possible, hold skin taught and pull in the direction the hair grows. This will reduce irritation and pain. Map it out! Use a white eyeliner or Boom Boom's Push Up Brow and draw a line on to follow. Remember the 4 basics:

• Do not make them too far apart in the center (brows should start at the inside corner of the eye)
• Identify where the arch is and make sure not to over tweeze on the brow bone (it should be a straight line)
• Do not make them too short – longer brows are better than short; take it easy, better safe than sorry.
• Begin tweezing anything below the line - remove the liner and there should be a clean brow that is not over-tweezed.

Sanitize by applying Bacitracin ointment – hair follicles are yanked out at the root leaving an open area susceptible to bacteria and infection, ointment seals the area with an antibiotic to sooth and reduce bumps. If you found these beauty tips helpful, please be sure to Like it, Pin it and Share with friends! 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+

If you're anything like me, whether you're searching for the right shade to color your hair at home or to request of your hairstylist at the salon, seeking the perfect hair color is a priority. (There was this one time when my hair wound up a weird shade of red....) But it goes beyond finding the right color by simply saying, "I like this shade of red." According to Patrick McIvor, expert hair colorist and Artistic and TechniCultural Director for Goldwell/KMS California, to find the perfect color, three factors must always be considered. 1. How often do you want to color hair? 2. How much money do you want to spend on your hair? 3. How much time do you want to spend coloring your hair? How often do you want to color hair? Want blonde on blonde like Christians Aguilera? That requires touch-ups every 2-4 weeks to look good. If there’s no time for that, other alternatives include a glaze to cool down or warm up tone, which usually lasts 6-8 weeks, sometimes even 12. A full head of highlights needs maintenance every 6 weeks, but subtle highlights can go as long as 8-12 weeks. It’s important to pick a color that fits with lifestyle – if there’s not enough time to get to the salon for touch-ups, it won’t look good, so don’t even bother. How much money do you want to spend on your hair? Saving money to get the perfect color once will be a let down. Color needs to be maintained, so it’s important to look at the finances of color before committing to a style. Glazes and one-process colors tend to cost less. A full head of highlights is more expensive (especially on longer hair) than accent highlights. So do the math first. How much time do you want to spend coloring your hair? Think about it – if sitting for 2 hours at a time for highlights to be foiled and processed is not an option, go for a demi permanent glaze to kick brass or add cool tones, it takes a mere 20 minutes. On the other hand, maybe sitting for 2 hours at the salon is the best way to slow down and be pampered – it’s all about lifestyle. Consider these things before you get your hair colored again and I promise you will be happier with your hair color. If you found these tips helpful, please be sure to Like it, Pin it and Share with friends! 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+ Photo credit: Goldwell

In winter, colder temperatures and indoor heating deplete moisture in the air, which can leave hair parched, so it’s important to replenish moisture to prevent breakage and promote shine. Ruth Roche, Artistic Ambassador for Pureology Serious Colour Care offers 5 tips for getting the glow back. 1. Get a good trim to remove frayed ends, they tend to be dryer and more damaged than the rest of the hair strand. 2. Use a clarifying treatment to remove styling product buildup that contributes to lack of moisture and dullness. Pureology Purify Shampoo is a great one – it’s sulfate-free and safe for color-treated hair. 3. Apply an intense treatment once a week to add suppleness, elasticity, strengthen hair, prevent breakage and add shine. If hair feels brittle, it needs moisture – if it feels rough, it needs both protein and moisture, so choose a treatment accordingly. 4. Use a light shine serum prior to styling to smooth down the cuticle, protect hair from heat and mechanical damage, and add moisture and shine. Pureology Cuticle Polisher shine serum can be used sparingly on fine hair, more for medium and coarse hair, and lots and lots for curly hair. 5. Get a professional brightening demi-permanent color gloss to close the cuticle and add shine, try Redken Shades EQ. If you found these tips helpful, please be sure to Like it, Pin it and Share with friends! 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+ Photo Credit: Mike Ruiz

Need some help in finding the perfect arch in your brows? It's not complicated and brow guru, Malynda Vigliotti aka Boom Boom, breaks it down for us in 3 simple to follow steps.

What you'll need: Mirror Makeup brush or pencil The space between brows should be equal to or a little wider than eyes. Use a makeup brush or pencil to assess.

1. Start: Hold the brush parallel to the side of the nose, where the brush meets the brow is where the brow should begin. 

 2. Arch: Hold the brush parallel to the outside edge of the colored part of the eye (the iris), where the brush meets the brow is where the highest part of the arch should be.

3. End: Extend the brush diagonally from the nostril, following the outside edge of the eye toward the brow. Where the inside edge of the brush hits is where the brow should end.

If you found this how-to simple, please be sure to Like it, Pin it and Share with friends!

 

How to get this look from Sam Villa

Thin hair, fine hair, medium hair, thick hair...we all have one common enemy: frizz. However, those with thick hair get a double whammy, frizz + an overly full looking coif. A Girl's Gotta Spa! Facebook fans asked, "What types of hair products work best on thick hair to make it smoother, less frizzy and not looking overly full?" Expert hairstylist trusted by celebrities, Sam Villa, responds: For thick hair in need of moisture and slimming down, products that contain cationic conditioners, ceramides and Shea Butter are essential. The go-to product line is Redken Real Control. The entire line nourishes and improves the appearance and health of the hair. Real Control Slim Supreme Hair Slimming Serum reduces excessive volume and adds sleek smoothness with all-day humidity resistance and luscious shine. Got a question you want answered by an expert? Leave a comment and let us 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

Being part Italian, olive oil was always a staple growing up in my childhood home. As a child, I never knew the health benefits my parents and grandparents were passing on to me, all I knew is that it added delicious flavor to my food.

Once I began to work in beauty, I was mesmerized by all of its benefits to skin, as well. Olive fruit oil is high in Vitamin E, which we all know is fantastic for its anti-aging properties. It's high in oleic acid and is a good skin cell regenerator. It works to attract external moisture to the skin, while still permitting the skin to properly release sweat, shed dead skin and release sebum.

Olive oil is rich in antioxidants like Vitamin E, but also includes vitamin A, polyphenols, phytosterols and avenasterol. Antioxidants work to neutralize free radicals and combat environmental pollutants and aggressors that we all deal with daily.

These antioxidants have the natural ability to stimulate cells and return skin to a firmer, smoother, and healthier state. In order to craft the best lotion for dry skin, olive oil is one of the main ingredients in A Girl's Gotta Spa! ® Body Lotions. This natural moisturizer will keep your skin hydrated and nourished. I've long been using soaps, lotions and body washes with olive oil and have seen for myself the profound affect it can have to keep skin healthy. If you use skin or body care products with olive oil, rest assured, you will kiss dry, itchy skin goodbye! 

Tomato and Herb Stuffed Pork and Black Bean Fusion (This dish is naturally gluten/casein free)

Ingredients Stuffed Pork Pork Loin Halved 2 Tomatoes Sliced 4 Garlic Cloves Sliced 1 Bunch of Cilantro Chopped 2 Tbsp of Lemon Juice ¼ cup White Wine (if following a gluten-free diet, be sure the brand is such) ½ Tsp salt ½ Tsp paprika ½ Tsp dried Italian seasoning herb mix 1 Tbsp Avocado oil Black Beans 6 cherry tomatoes halved Cilantro Several sprigs of Cilantro 1 Can Goya Black Beans Cooking Instructions *Health tip: Trim the fat off the pork before diving in to ensure the least amount of saturated fat for this dish. Preheat oven 375 f

Tomato and Herb Stuffed Pork Halve the pork loin, cover the bottom half with sliced tomatoes, 4 garlic cloves, and cilantro. Place the other half of the loin over top, poke holes in the top of the loin then stuff with pieces of fresh garlic, and sprinkle on the dried Italian herbs, paprika, and salt. Drizzle a small amount of avocado oil over top and a small amount in the bottom of the pan, add lemon juice and wine to the bottom of the pan along with the stuffed loin. You're ready to put your pork masterpiece in the oven. Cooking time will vary according to the weight, but a good rule of thumb is to cook it 15-20 minutes per pound. Note: About 2-3 times through the cooking process take some of the juice at the bottom of the pan and pour it over the top of the loin (it helps to add flavor.)

Black Beans Place the can of black beans in a pot over medium heat for approx. 3-5 minutes, (start cooking the beans approx. 15 min before pork loin is ready.) Add halved cherry tomatoes and cilantro, let simmer on low for approx. another 5 minutes, then cover to keep warm.

Nutritional Scoop 1 serving (3.5 oz of meat, ½ cup Black Beans) Herb Stuffed Pork contains 130 calories, 22g of protein, 5g of fat, 0g fiber Black Beans contains 90 calories, 7g of protein, 0.5g of fat, 6g of fiber Interesting nutritional information According to www.nutritonadata.self.com pork is good source of Riboflavin, Potassium and Zinc, and a very good source of Protein, Thiamin, Niacin, Vitamin B6, Phosphorus and Selenium. It is an awesome source of protein and is also has a good fullness factor. Cilantro is a good source of Thiamin and Zinc, and a very good source of Dietary Fiber, Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin E (Alpha Tocopherol), Vitamin K, Riboflavin, Niacin, Vitamin B6, Folate, Pantothenic Acid, Calcium, Iron, Magnesium, Phosphorus, Potassium, Copper and Manganese. Garlic is also a good source of Calcium, Phosphorus and Selenium, and a very good source of Vitamin C, Vitamin B6 and Manganese. It also has a strong anti-inflammatory property. Addtionally, according to www.whfoods.com garlic has cardio-protective benefits, may improve iron absorption, and there is some recent research (still in the early phase) that suggests that it helps to regulate the number of fat cells that get formed in our bodies. It also has anti-bacterial/viral properties, and cancer prevention qualities. (Besides the taste, now you know why I use it in almost all my recipes.) Tomatoes are a good source of Vitamin E (Alpha Tocopherol), Thiamin, Niacin, Vitamin B6, Folate, Magnesium, Phosphorus and Copper, and a very good source of Dietary Fiber, Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin K, Potassium and Manganese. According to www.whfoods.com the phytonutrients contained in tomatoes are also fantastic for women’s bone health, and state that, “Fresh tomatoes and tomato extracts have been shown to help lower total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, and triglycerides. In addition, tomato extracts have been shown to help prevent unwanted clumping together (aggregation) of platelet cells in the blood - a factor that is especially important in lowering risk of heart problems like atherosclerosis.” Black beans are a good source of Protein, Thiamin, Magnesium, Phosphorus and Manganese, and a very good source of Dietary Fiber and Folate. Great for digestive health, blood sugar regulation, cardiovascular health, and overall contains a good number of anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant phytonutrients. My hope is that you find the Faccia Bella Recipes delicious, informative, and use them as a tool to enhance your health and beauty! Post a comment, we’d love to hear from you! Read more healthy recipes and health tips. Subscribe to A Girl’s Gotta Spa! for more beauty reviews! 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! Courtney on G+.