Winter means frigid weather, snowball fights and warm, cozy sweaters. It also means thermostats turned up, wood burning stoves (at least in our house), and remaining indoors where the air lacks moisture. While winter may be the best time of year fashion-wise, it's not so great for your skin, especially when you resort to soaking in a hot bath or turning up the heat in your shower. I always say that the shower can be one of your first defenses against dry skin. But it's time to learn the truth about your body wash...some of them can be harsh on your skin, making it drier when your goal was to moisturize! Dove Body Washes just got more caring by combining the brand’s mildest cleansers ever with NutriumMoisture™. Dove's Deep Moisture Body Wash combined with a luke warm shower, will help keep skin from dehydrating. I know, I know--luke warm you ask? On the coldest day this seems impossible, but I promise you, you'll notice the difference in your skin when making the switch from uber hot, steamy showers. (Not to mention that cooler water temps help to lock in hair color longer.) Towel dry, just patting down skin, not completely drying off and then apply a moisturizing body lotion. Don't forget your driest spots: knees, elbows, hands and feet! Not sure which Dove Body Wash is right for your skin? You can take this Body Wash BFF Quiz. I'd love to know if you've tried Dove's body washes to combat winter skin! Doesn’t your skin deserve the proven best care? 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! Shannon on G+ Disclosure: This post was sponsored by Dove through their partnership with POPSUGAR. While I was compensated by POPSUGAR to write a post about Dove, all opinions are my own.

Traveling has so many benefits: it’s educational, it allows you to experience things you wouldn't in your home country and it gives you the opportunity to meet people from around the globe. Perhaps best of all, it offers you a different perspective on life and how it’s lived. However, being on the road, or in the air for that matter, can also take its toll on your mind and body. Waking up at the crack of dawn to catch a flight, driving a few hundred miles, or being forced to spend a night in an airport can leave you feeling tired and in desperate search of some under-eye concealer. Luckily, there are a number of little tricks and tips to keep yourself looking young while you travel. Here are some suggestions for your next trip: Use the right products For those of you who don’t naturally leap out of the bed at 6am, do not despair. There are heaps of revolutionary skin care products out there to make you look like a true ‘morning person’. Anti-wrinkle eye cream, moisturizer with SPF and under-eye concealers are designed to make your skin look immune to the effects of time. Use eye cream to freshen up the skin around your eyes, and if you can, get reflective under-eye concealer to make you look more awake. Moisturizer with SPF is essential for the rest of the face, as increased time in the sun (one of the best parts of traveling) can speed up the appearance of wrinkles and other signs of aging. It’s important to protect yourself from those harsh UV rays. Go back to basics Taking off your makeup and washing your face every night might be part of your routine at home, but when you’re on the road, these pre-bedtime beauty rituals are often the first to go. Fight that desire to rest your head without clearing your face first. Going to bed with makeup on will only make you look and feel worse in the morning. If you can’t fit your makeup remover or face wash in your travel bag, use a dab of moisturizer to remove your eye makeup and rinse your face with mineral water. Get creative When you’re on the road, you often don’t have access to all the skincare products you’d like. That’s when it’s time to get creative. Grab a lemon at the next grocery store or fruit market you see and use the juice to freshen up your face. Applying two tablespoons of lemon juice to your face for just ten minutes has been shown to actually help promote new cell growth. This is a great activity when you’re back at the hotel for the night and you’re ready to relax. Plus, it will make your skin smell citrusy fresh! Treat your hair right Your hair is another area that can have a rough time of it when you’re traveling. Extra virgin olive oil mixed with your conditioner is just the ticket to help revitalize those tired locks. Leave the mixture in for a good five or ten minutes before you rinse and you’ll be surprised at the difference you’ll see. Get out there The final secret: you’re already doing it! Traveling alone has been shown to help people of all ages look and feel younger - so you’re already on the right track. With all the unexpected adventures you encounter when you travel, it’s no wonder avid travelers report to feeling young at heart, regardless of their age. So keep feeling young on the inside, and it’s bound to show! 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! Shannon on G+ *Disclosure: Olay Arabia provided some exclusive insights to make this post possible. All opinions and content are my own.

What was once used solely for herbal remedies and medicinal purposes is now taking on a new twist in the beauty and skincare world. Spices are what Cirque Boutique/Beauty Cirque founder, Rianna Loving is indulging in this winter to help keep skin pristine and hydrated.

Rianna advises to head to the kitchen cupboard (or local spice market) for additional flavor to include in your next beauty mask!

Cayenne Pepper
½ Ripped Avocado
1 teaspoon of cayenne pepper (if you have sensitive skin, use 1/2 teaspoon)
1 teaspoon of raw cocoa powder

Directions: Mix raw cocoa powder and cayenne pepper then blend avocado into mix until the texture is smooth.

Use it to: Increase blood flow and circulation and fight off breakouts. Enriched with vitamins A and C, beta-carotene, antioxidants and additional necessary nutrients to provide a healthy immune and digestive system.

Paprika
1 tablespoon of jojoba oil
½ tablespoon of almond meal
1 teaspoon of Paprika

Directions: Mix paprika and almond meal in a bowl then slowly pour jojoba oil into the mixture. Blend until all ingredients are evenly combined.

Use it to: Brighten complexion, treat and prevent age spots and protect skin from damaging effects of pollutants and environmental factors. Paprika is also high in Iron and Beta-Carotene, known to aid in preventing wrinkles.

Turmeric
1 cup of coconut oil
1 tablespoon of turmeric
1/2 cup of shea butter

Directions: Apply coconut oil and shea butter in bowl, mix well until smooth then slowly apply turmeric and blend well until all is even.

Use it to: Even out wrinkles and limit stretch marks. It also heals acne and has great anti-inflammatory properties. Turmeric’s active ingredient, curcumin is known to have potential anti-cancer properties and is a popular anti-aging ingredient in beauty.

When a food item gets its own year, that has to mean that it's pretty amazing.  In the case of quinoa, the Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations (FAO) has officially declared that the year 2013 be recognized as, "The International Year of the Quinoa." By now you might have heard that quinoa is another one of these "super foods" that you should be incorporating into your diet (which is super easy to do given how versatile it is.)  I use it as a substitute for other grains such as rice and pasta, in my salads and as a breakfast porridge.  There are dozens of other ways quinoa can also be used, I personally am looking forward to using it for baking , for making a vegan quinoa burger and since the holiday season is upon us I am thinking of ways to incorporate it into stuffing etc. Simply perform a Google search for quinoa and you will get tons of results on the health benefits of quinoa, which includes (to name a few); quinoa  is a source of complete protein, it is a good source of dietary fiber and phosphorus and is high in magnesium and iron. It is also a source of calcium, and thus is useful for vegans and those who are lactose intolerant.   It is also gluten-free and easy to digest.  These are all pretty amazing reasons to consume this super food, but from a beauty standpoint quinoa is practically a miracle food for the skin. Quinoa contains lysine, an essential amino acid for human skin, which is used in the production of elastin and collagen. Lysine is an essential nutrient which cannot be synthesized by the body, hence it must be provided by the diet. It aids in the quick healing of damaged tissue, making it very important for people who are recovering from any surgery or injury.  It also helps to create scar tissue and ligaments for quick recovery.  Quinoa contains high levels of riboflavin which provides elasticity to the skin to give it the required softness and resiliency. It also builds up connective tissue to tone the skin and prevents wrinkles and fine lines. Consumption of quinoa seeds provides the body with collagen which rejuvenates the skin from within and reduces wrinkles and other symptoms of ageing. It makes the skin soft, smooth and supple. There are Vitamins in quinoa that decreases clustering of melanin granules to reduce brown spots and pigmentation. and if that is not enough, quinoa also helps to decrease sebum production and treats acne.  See I wasn't kidding when I said miracle food! I usually purchase a 4lb bag of quinoa from Costco, which lasts me for a pretty long time since the bag contains 42 servings.  If you go to Pinterest and search Quinoa, the amount of recipes that show up can almost be overwhelming so go ahead and get crazy and creative with your quinoa exploration! 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!

We all know the dangers of the sun, and those with fair skin (like myself), tend to avoid it at all costs to reduce the risk of sunburn. Sometimes, no matter how much SPF you apply and how often, fair skin becomes burned skin. Thanks to the improvements with sunless tanning, a healthy glow can be achieved all year round without ever stepping foot on the beach... Don't bake: fake! There are lots of effective fake tan products that you can use at home. You don’t need an appointment and it’s far less expensive than a salon visit; all you have to do is leave plenty of time and gather the equipment you’ll need. Be guided by your true coloring and select a product that won’t make you look as though you’ve been dip-dyed! Test it on a hidden area to make sure you don’t have an adverse reaction and prepare your skin before you apply any of the tanning products. Preparation Smooth, moisturized skin will take the product better, leaving you with a more professional-looking finish that will last longer and be much easier to achieve. You should exfoliate before you do anything else, paying particular attention to the roughest and driest areas, such as elbows and knees; you’ll know your own worst areas, though, so you can eliminate potential problems wherever they’re likely to arise. After exfoliating, apply moisturizer over your whole body, but wait until it has been completely absorbed by your skin before beginning the tanning process. Equipment and approach In addition to your self-tanning product, you will need at least one application mitt, a long-handled applicator, some plastic or latex gloves, something to protect your hair, petroleum jelly, cotton buds, a hand mirror and access to a static mirror. You must keep your hair tied up and, if possible, covered up and you should also apply a small amount of petroleum jelly to your hairline and your eyebrows. To make sure that you don’t miss any spots, use a systematic approach, beginning with your face and moving to your torso, followed by your limbs and, finally, your hands and feet. Pay careful attention to areas such as the back of your neck, under your chin and behind your ears, where it would be very easy to leave gaps or streaks. Use the hand mirror and the static mirror to keep track of hard-to-see places as you go along. Finishing off Use small to medium circular motions, blending as you go and be careful not to leave any hard edges, such as at the jawline and where your wrists join your hands. Using a second mitt with less lotion on it to ‘buff’ streaky areas can give you a smoother look. If you notice excessive amounts of lotion in creases, such as by your nose, or where you have small scars, use the cotton buds to buff in the same way as before for a streak-free finish. Protect your handiwork by refraining from putting on clothes until you’re sure it’s all dry; try to avoid dressing up for at least 20 minutes, then, once you are happy that the full color has developed, shower and exfoliate again. Just because you can’t lie out in the sun, it doesn’t mean you can’t look gorgeous! 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! Shannon on G+ *Disclosure

A Girl's Gotta Spa! even from the comfort of her own home. Many days are often spent in the kitchen during the holiday season whipping up treats to delight the palate. Why not take a few extra minutes to create a DIY spa treatment to refresh and brighten your skin? As Irving Berlin says, "May your days be merry and bright!" As cooler weather arrives and brings dry skin in need of a little boost, these easy do-it-yourself at-home spa treatments from Director of Spa Operations at The Claremont Hotel Club & Spa, Stacey Parks,will brighten up your winter days and make you feel fantastic for the holidays and to start your new year! For the Face: To enliven and brighten your skin, mix a quarter cup of plain yogurt and 2-3 tablespoons lemon or orange juice. Apply to the face and relax for about 15 minutes. Wash off with luke-warm water to a youthful glow! For the Feet: Detoxify your system and rejuvenate tired feet with this soothing soak. Add a quarter cup Epsom salt, a quarter cup sea salt, and a half cup baking soda to hot water and stir until dissolved. You can customize with your favorite essential oil for aromatherapy and softening, or add juniper berries or green tea to increase the detoxification properties. Soak for 20-30 minutes. Use a dry brush or loofah to further scrub away impurities, and then apply a soothing aloe gel or coconut oil. For the Body: To exfoliate and soothe dry skin, mix 3-4 tablespoons freshly shredded ginger to a quarter cup coconut or olive oil, and a half cup brown sugar. This simple but effective and delicious smelling scrub can be used in the shower and is stimulating and warming, and will leave your skin soft and silky. 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! Shannon on G+ *Disclosure

The holiday season is fast approaching and menu ideas are being finalized. You don’t want to have to sacrifice great skin for great food. Glowing skin and delish foods can be mutually exclusive. Dr. David E. Bank, director and founder of The Center for Dermatology, Cosmetic & Laser Surgery, reveals the five best foods you can eat this holiday season that not only are delicious, but are great for your skin. From diminishing wrinkles to helping dry skin, Dr. Bank sheds light on surprising foods that will keep your skin glowing and healthy through the holiday season.

HOLIDAY FOODS FOR GLOWING SKIN

KALE

This green veggie is the at top of the list when it comes to beauty foods. Kale is full of antioxidants that are a great way of reducing wrinkles because they slow down the ageing process. Kale also contains Vitamin A, which is essential for the health of your skin. It has been proven to be helpful in averting a host of skin diseases as well. Kale is a very good cleanser for your skin because it detoxifies your body leaving you with healthy, glowing skin outside.

PUMPKIN

The vibrant orange color of this squash indicates that it’s loaded with beta carotene, a powerful antioxidant. This gets converted to Vitamin A which helps prevent wrinkles and keep your skin youthful and moisturized. This is the perfect food if you are experiencing dry skin because of the cold weather. Pumpkin is also loaded with Vitamin C, another antioxidant that protects collagen and boosts our immune systems.

SWEET POTATOES

In just one sweet potato you will find more than 200% of the recommended daily value of Vitamin A. Vitamin A is important for having amazing skin, because it promotes the growth of new skin cells and increases the rate at which this happens, which leaves you with vibrant skin. Also, from a sweet potato, you’ll get three grams of fiber which keeps your digestive tract healthy and functioning properly during the season of eating. A healthy and functioning digestive track can help keep your breakouts to a minimum.

CARROTS

Carrots are not only good for your eyes but that are also amazing for smooth skin. Our skin is up against a lot of environmental factors every day like sun radiation and toxins, which combined with stress, leads to weakened defense against damaging free radicals that attack our skin. Carotenoids, found in carrots, are your protection from these everyday pollutants and will prevent wrinkles.

OLIVE OIL

Olive oil contains four major antioxidants which allow it to work as a cleanser and moisturizer. Among these antioxidants are Vitamin A and Vitamin E, Vitamin E accounts for anti- aging benefits because it helps restore skin elasticity. Try: A Girl's Gotta Spa! olive oil body lotion Olive oil penetrates into the skin without clogging pores. Another benefit of this cooking aid is that it is useful as an exfoliator when mixed with sea salt and rubbed into the body. The mild abrasive qualities of the sea salt, combined with the deep, penetrating action of the oil, will remove dead skin cells and leave the skin looking renewed and glowing. So, you now have our permission to indulge (for the sake of your skin!) 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.

I love a good DIY scrub to help detox and cleanse your skin.  Inspired by a treatment offered in Six Senses Laamu in the Maldives (a destination on my spa bucket list), this scrub leaves skin hydrated and smooth.   All ingredients are found on the islands of the Maldives and luckily for us, also most supermarkets. Maldivian Scrub (Based off of the treatment Laamu Bliss) Combine the following ingredients in equal parts into a paste:

• Nutmeg
• Turmeric
• Ginger
• Rice powder
• Cinnamon
• Clove

Add hot water gradually into it forms into a paste-like texture. Apply whenever desired on the body and leave on skin for 15 minutes or until skin begins to warm. When time is up, wash paste off to reveal glowing skin. Fight the drying effects on winter’s chill with this scrub! Smells delicious and a nourishing treat for your skin. 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! Shannon on G+

Crow's feet here. Fine lines there. Deeper wrinkles over here. Acne scars and other flaw-inducing issues right there. Each of us has one reason or another as to why we look aged when wearing makeup. I forever listened to friends prior to launching this beauty blog say how important a good skin care routine is to prime your skin, but also how beneficial primer was as a sort of camouflage for imperfections. I became a believer over the years when I saw what a difference it made, oftentimes even making me look younger than I really am. (Always a plus!) If you're still unsure what the benefits are of adding yet another step in your beauty routine, here's 4 reasons why you should be priming your skin: 1. Hydration: Old school primers used to dry out your skin, but those days have passed and today's skin primers add a dose of hydration to your skin. As you know, in order to look healthy, your skin needs to maintain proper hydration levels to avoid looking dehydrated or sullen. 2. Blurring the lines of wrinkles and skin imperfections: This has got to be my favorite aspect of using a primer. The appearance of wrinkles are instantly softened due to light reflecting technology in skin priming products. True, the actual fine lines and wrinkles are not truly gone, but no one will realize you had them in the first place...except maybe you and the mirror. 3. Plumping: Many skin primers include micro-fillers that work to plump wrinkles from the inside out. And don't forget a lash primer! Mascara is often drying, causing lashes to be brittle and break easily. Also, so many of us try to use a mascara that both thickens and lengthens. With a lash conditioner/primer, it will automatically protect and give the appearance of thicker lashes, making them look more voluminous when you later apply your mascara. 4. Gives the appearance of youthful skin: Hydration, wrinkle blurring, conditioning and plumping; you can see why you'd instantly gain a more youthful appearance. This is reason enough to add skin priming to your beauty routine. Yes, it is another step and yes, it means buying more products, however it doesn't mean it needs to break the bank. For the last several weeks, in addition to my usual eye shadow primer and concealing face primer (for skin discoloration), I've also been using Olay Regenerist Micro-Sculpting Eye Cream & Lash Serum Duo ($15.99), as well as Olay Regenerist Advanced Anti-Aging Wrinkle Revolution Complex ($25.99). The biggest issues with my skin are the fine lines around and under my eyes, as well as the deeper wrinkles on my forehead. As pictured above, the Lash Duo has unique packaging, with the lash serum on one side and the Micro-Sculpting Eye Cream on the other. While both tubes appear small, you honestly don't need much of each product to get the job done. It is designed to treat lids, lines, and lashes for younger looking eyes. The eye cream smoothes and firms the appearance of lids and softens the appearance of fine lines, while the lash serum instantly thickens and nourishes lashes. The thickening is from coating the lashes, however it will not grow or lengthen them. As I mentioned, a skin priming product that blurs skin imperfections is a must-have. The Wrinkle Revolution Complex has a blend of three different-sized light manipulating particles (or micro fillers) that fill the valleys between fine lines and wrinkles to remove the shadowing that creates the contrast of a wrinkle. So while wrinkles still exist, those looking at you don't see it that way. This product also hydrates with peptides, humectants and vitamins. Hydration is key for healthy looking skin. Both the eye cream and wrinkle cream glide on smoothly and works well with the other primers I already use to treat other skin issues. In the below picture, I was wearing Olay products--notice how smooth my skin looks! Oh, and the fact that I don't look old enough to have a almost 15 year old son...maybe? Yes, there's a filter on the picture for light, but there is no photoshopping of my face (or me in general.) Do you include skin priming into your beauty routine? I'd love to hear about it! 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! Shannon on G+ Disclosure: This post was sponsored by Olay through their partnership with POPSUGAR Select. While I was compensated to write a post about Olay Regenerist Micro-Sculpting Eye Cream & Lash Serum Duo and Regenerist Wrinkle Revolution Complex, all opinions are my own.

I LOVE brands that stand for something beautiful, the type of beauty that envelopes the essence of love, joy, and hope. The kind that gives and quietly supports the unspoken interdependence we each need at some level in our lives. When I look to review a brand I not only want to know how the product will work for the caregiver and busy woman, I want to know what the brand stands for, and if they will multiply the blessing of success to pass it on to others. In other words, what are they doing with what they have to produce positive community impact? Sarah McNamara's Miracle Skin Transformer beauty line stands for all the above. She states, "Making other people's lives better simply makes sense. Women want powerful, multi-purpose products, designed to transform their skin and simplify their beauty routine." With over 15 years of experience in the business, I guess Sarah heard us loud and clear. She spent over a year doing extensive research with lead chemists to help produce such a product line, furthermore the Miracle Transformer products rendered from this research are produced using all- natural, ethically-obtained ingredients. Oh and wait, just when you think Sarah can't knock it up a notch, in support of Children's Action Network's efforts to find loving families for waiting foster children, $5 from the sale of every Lip Rewind in the shade LOVE will be donated to the charity. If any of you have followed me enough to know at least a portion of our families story you might know how near and dear this is to my heart, as my husband and I adopted 3 of our 7 children. I knew from our foster care workers, and previously having worked in the mental health system, that there are TONS of kids in need of a home in this country. According to The Children’s Action Network there are 107,000 foster children in the United States in need of a loving family. Way to go Sarah for supporting such a beautiful and much needed charity! Indeed these children need loving homes and indeed a loving home makes all the difference in creating a better world for them and all of us. The scoop on Miracle Skin Transformer Lip Rewind is simple, but it has several unique aspects that I feel set it apart from your average gloss. First, one of the things I noticed is that it did not produce that burning feeling I have experienced in other products with lip plumping-type properties. Second, I was impressed with the long period needed between re-application; I’d have to estimate about an hour or two…pretty awesome for a gloss. Three, it's multi-faceted in its duties, which as you know saves us time and money. Besides giving you supple gorgeous looking lips, it has awesome anti-aging and protective qualities, such as the ability to repair daily damage, boost volume and moisture content, protect from UVA/UVB sun damage, and it improves the definition of the lip contour and shape. What's not great about enhancing our pout with a gloss filled with youthful peptides, all-natural, ethically-obtained ingredients, and supporting an awesome cause? 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+. *Disclosure