The warmer weather is here, which means no more hiding our hands in gloves and instead finding some great nail polishes to show off our jazz hands. And just in case you haven’t noticed, nail polish has now trumped lipstick as the recession staple. So when I received a question about nail polish recently, I thought it was a good break from some of the hair care questions the blog has been receiving lately. “What are your suggestions for a good vacation nail polish? (My swimsuits are aqua and navy.) Kathryn, Rhode Island” This is a great question because honestly how many of you have applied your most favorite polish only to have it chip a few days into your time away? I guess if you are going for the Chris Isaac/Helena Christensen “Wicked Game” video look then you are all good, otherwise it is very frustrating. First, before recommending a color, I strongly suggest Zoya Nail Polish’s Color Lock system. I cannot sing the praises of it enough and I use it with other brands because it is THAT good. Do I dare say I could potentially guarantee that your nail polish will last longer if you use it? I think I just did. If you want your nail color to be matchy matchy to the color of your swimsuit, some blues I am loving right now are Charla from Zoya. I also love Zoya's Robyn. Otherwise, I love pink (my super favorite color of all time). Again, I'd go with Zoya and they have many pink hues to choose from. But let’s open it up to you readers, can you suggest a great, long-lasting nail polish and nail color for Kathryn? Subscribe to A Girl’s Gotta Spa! beauty blog. 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!

For months now I have been receiving pitches from beauty brands and PR firms far and wide about which beauty products will be donating some or all of their proceeds to breast cancer charities. Most beauty magazines and beauty blogs have already started posting about them.

This year I thought to myself...if I want to support a breast cancer charity and research, why do I have to buy lipstick to do so?

Ha-so Andrea at Glamour thought I was an inspiration? I feel like I pale in comparison to the amazing Syd Curry. Syd Curry is an amazingly talented celebrity hair stylist who amassed some pretty impressive clientel, all while being an addict. There is nothing glamorous about being an addict, no, but how Syd pulled himself together after 30 years of addiction and has now achieved 20 months of sobriety and relaunched his career without missing a beat---now THAT is inspiring. Wanting to share his story so that he can inspire others to get clean--even more so.

In an exclusive interview, he granted me access to look at his career, hitting rock bottom and how determination can never keep a good man down.

Need a pick me up? Look no further than my interview with Syd Curry.

I just got back from my ultrasound and wanted to show you my teenie tiny spa baby. It's still a little peanut at 8 weeks 4 days. Heartbeat was strong at 175 bpm and it was wiggling around. I'm told I need to take it easy (whatever that means when you have 3 active little kids) because there is a small bleed at the placenta.

Hopefully it's nothing to worry about. We'll know in another 10 weeks if this is a little spa girl or spa boy.

Protecting your skin from UV rays is a daily task. I know several people who have had a Melanoma and Melanoma Cancer. When caught early, it can be taken care of; however, I did have a favorite family member pass away when I was 6 years old from Melanoma Cancer. My aunt was only in her early 20's when she died. So this is not something that can happen at an older age--but at any time in life. So let's talk about what we can do to protect our skin from the sun's damaging rays. First, what are UVA and UVB rays and where and how do they affect us?

How UVA Affects Us:

Can pass through window glass. Is not affected by a change in altitude or weather. Is present all day and every day of the year. Penetrates deep into skin layers. Is 5% of the sun's rays. Is 20 times more abundant than UVB rays. Affects long-term skin damage.

How UVB Affects Us:

Cannot pass through window glass. Causes sunburn. Causes tanning. Helps the body with normal vitamin D production. Varies with the season. It is more intense in the summer than in the winter. Varies with weather conditions. Is more intense at midday than in the morning or late afternoon. Is more intense at high altitudes and near the equator. Is protected against by the SPF in sunscreens. Is related to more than 90% of non-melanoma skin cancer. SPF (sunscreen protection factor) is your key to protecting your skin from UVA and UVB rays. The SPF # is what predicts how long your skin can be in the sun with a low risk of burning or damaging your skin. SPF 30 is best, while the higher SPF only provide minimally more protection. While water resistant sunscreens help maintain sunscreen on your skin through perspiring and water activity, it is only for a few hours and it is best to reapply sunscreen every two hours regardless. Should you get a sunburn, you will feel the effects within 2-6 hours of the burn. In more severe cases, sun poisoning can occur. I have had sun poisioning in the past, and it is not fun! While we're discussing using sunscreen in the spring and summer months, it is incredibly important to wear it year round. UVA and UVB rays are ever-present regardless of season. The intensity may vary, but you are still at risk for sun damage to your skin. As you age, dark spots will begin to emerge showing sun damage from years ago. I can certainly see the age spots on my face, but it is even more disturbing when I have my skin looked at under UV light when getting a facial and see just how extensive the damage is. Check out our post on sunscreens that won't detroy the coral reefs which includes our favorite sun protection products. If you're not convinced you need to always wear sunscreen, check out our Q&A with a Melanoma survivor. How do you protect your skin from the sun year round? Subscribe to A Girl’s Gotta Spa! beauty blog. Watch our reviews on YouTube, see our pins on Pinterest and check us out on Instagram. Got a Kindle? We’re on Kindle too! Or check out our natural bath and body line!