Laubahn Perfumes Collection Box Review

Shannon Smyth
Scent has the ability to transport us back in time, wafting between memories, good or bad, standing still in the continum of time, feeling like the moment was within reach. And as fast as we are transported there, we come quickly bounding back to the present once the fragrance has fully danced its way through our senses.

Laubahn Perfumes Collection Box Review

Laubahn Perfumes are the brainchild of Stacey Bresnahan (aka Sassy AyR), with Master perfumer, Ralph Schwieger lending his creative talents to two of Laubahn Perfumes fragrances, Naughty Garden (not in the Collection Box) and Hinterland. The perfumes are based on an otherworldly nature where hybrid plants and flowers abound. Laubahn Perfumes Collection Box contains four, 7.5ml portable perfumes. In the future, Laubahn Perfumes will sell each of these fragrances individually in 50ml size. The four fragrances are Lost in the Moment, Ridge, Cognac and Hinterland. With every purchase of this collection box, Laubahn Perfumes will make a donation to The Lower East Side Girls Club, Step Up and Girls for a Change. The aroma coming from this box, as all of the notes are intertwined, is AMAZING.

Lost in the Moment Perfume Review

In Sassy AyR's book, Life on a Star (the book all of the perfumes are based on), Lost in the Moment is the name of the beach that is often the gathering place of the characters in the book. But it's not just any beach, it's very sci-fi with turquoise waters, snow-white sea lilies floating on the surface, where the white sand feels like cashmere on your feet as you walk its shoreline smelling the mix of salty air, fruit trees and wildflowers. Top notes: Apricot, lime, orange and peach Middle notes: Basil, geranium, jasmine, rose, violet leaf Base notes: Sandalwood and vanilla I love the femininity of this perfume. It's airy and has a sweetness to its floral fragrance. It's an every-ocassion type of scent. While all of the perfumes are unisex, to me this appeals most to women.

Ridge Perfume Review

The name Ridge comes from a mysterious character in the book, and one that many of the women gravitate towards. Top notes: Lime Middle notes: Basil, neroli Base notes: Cedarwood and sandalwood Years ago I fell in love with a scrub that had neroli in it and this fragrance brings me back to the day I first used that scrub. It was in the very beginning of my blogging, so we are going back more than a decade. I love that this perfume has a clean yet smokey scent. This one is definitely wearable as a unisex fragrance.

Cognac Perfume Review

Cognac is the perfect mix of flowers, fruit and spice. It's warm and inviting, and irrefutably sexy. It has a crisp, ripe freshness to it at first spritz, then ginger wraps itself around magnolia, then rose and dives deep into the sandalwood. This is another one that has unisex appeal. Top notes: Apple, blackberry Middle notes: Ginger, magnolia, plum and rose Base notes: Indian sandalwood, musk

Hinterland Perfume Review

Hinterland is the one that surprised me most. I am not a fan of incense, the top note in this perfume, but somehow Ralph Schwieger was able to give it an interesting twist of bell pepper. I've honestly never worn bell pepper nor have I ever longed for it in a fragance, yet here we are and I am loving it. This fragrance is rich and takes you on so many twists and turns. Jasmine and Lily of the Valley peek through, but not making this an overly female-centric scent. At the base is patchouli, another note I have never liked, yet my younger sister would wear it frequently as a teenager. It brought a smile to my face knowing she would love this fragrance. Top notes: Bell pepper, incense Middle notes: Neroli, jasmine, Lily of the Valley Base notes: Truffle, boxwood, patchouli, musk Interesting enough, I love each of these perfumes equally and I don't really have a favorite. They are all just that good. I can envision myself wearing them for all different occasions and they'd match the mood/event perfectly. Whether giving this box as a gift or keeping it for yourself, it won't disappoint. Laubahn Perfumes Collection Box is available for $95 at www.LaubahnPerfumes.com. Find them on social via Instagram @LaubahnPerfumes and Facebook @LaubahnPerfumes. 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!

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Positive Thinking: Weathering the Storms of Life

Shannon Smyth
This picture isn't really very pretty - but it is real - I took it one afternoon on my way back from shipping some orders for A Girl's Gotta Spa! What do you see when you look at it? I mean really look at it. Aside from it not being not very Pinteresty or Instagram-worthy, of course.

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Is Your Hair Falling Out? This May Be Why:

Shannon Smyth

How many times have you been combing your hair, only to pull out more than a "few" strands of hair? It's common to start noticing hair loss a bit more as you begin to age, and it can be from a variety of reasons. Sometimes losing hair can cause for concern, like signs of Alopecia or health related issues, but typically there are explainable reasons to why your hair is falling out. If you've been searching for a few possible reasons why you have hair fallout, here are some possibilities:

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Potential Reasons Why You Are Experiencing Hair Loss

Human hair goes through a normal shedding process.

Animals aren't the only ones that shed and lose their hair. Humans go through a shedding process as well. There are three main stages of hair growth that every hair follicle on your head goes through. They are the anagen, catagen and telogen phases. Once your hair starts the telogen phase, your hair is released from your head and falls off. Then, the hair growth area remains bare for three months, until the hair growth cycle starts all over again. Hard to believe that process happens for each and every hair on your head! No wonder it seems like you are losing hair every day...you are!

Vitamin deficiency can lead to hair loss.

If you are lacking the proper amount of Vitamin B or D, it can result in hair loss. The good news is that there are certain foods that you can eat that can actually help to reverse your vitamin deficiency. Orange juice, egg yolks, mushrooms, and salmon are all excellent sources of Vitamin D. For Vitamin B, consider eating red meats and plenty of broccoli and spinach. It's possible to help slow or reverse your hair loss if you start eating healthier.

Stress levels contribute hair loss.

Hard to believe that your own stress level could be causing your hair to slowly shed, as well. If you've been feeling overly stressed lately, it may be time to take a step back and give yourself a bit of a rest. When your hair starts to fall out because of stress, that means that your body is trying to tell you that it needs you to take a break!
Hair falling out? Here are some reasons why that might be happening. #hairloss #haircare #health

Dry hair leads to increased breakage

This can happen more in the winter than other seasons due to the lack of moisture in the air. Make sure you are using a protein-rich shampoo and conditioner to strengthen your hair. Cut back on the hot tools (or at least use a thermal protecting hair product) and use a wide tooth comb or finger raking versus brushing.

Hormones Can Contribute to Hair Loss

If you've just had a baby and you're noticing what seems to be an abnormal amount of hair loss, this is completely normal. When you are pregnant, your hair cycle remains in the catagen (resting) phase due to increased levels of estrogen. You won't lose hair and therefore your hair appears to be much longer throughout the nine and a half months.

About 3 months postpartum, you'll begin to notice your hair begin to shed with it really picking up by the 6th month postpartum when your hair has resumed its natural hair cycle.

It's important to remember that the human body is quite amazing. When you start to notice something like your hair falling out, more times than not there is an explanation that can be fixed with just a little bit of processing and digging around. Of course, if your hair fall out seems excessive, consider talking to your doctor. 

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Ole Henriksen Cold Plunge Pore Mask Review

Shannon Smyth
Large pores? Check this Ole Henriksen Cold Plunge Pore Mask review #skincare If you love a good clay mask and tend to have large pores, you'll want to read this review of Ole Henriksen Cold Plunge Pore Mask. My large pores tend to be concentrated on my nose from years and years of oily skin that led to blackheads. Although I'm older and wiser as to how to care for my skin and to keep those pores cleaned out, years of my pores being stretched by the hardened oil and losing the elasticity in my skin due to age, really have taken a toll on their appearance. I learned a long time ago that cold water (and cold anything in general) will temporarily tighten skin giving the appearance that your pores have shrunk because, unfortunately, there is no way to permanently shrink them. *sad trombone.* When I got my hands on Ole Henriksen's Cold Plunge Pore Mask, I was stoked. First, I love clay masks because they are sooooo good at absorbing oil and two, this mask is turquoise and my 3 year old is amused when I am using it because I look like a smurf. Large pores? Check out this Ole Henriksen Cold Plunge Pore Minimizing Mask review #skincare The first thing you notice, aside from the brilliant color, is the smell of eucalyptus, which creates the cooling effect to this detoxifying mask to minimize the appearance of your pores. There's green tea (which is in our salt scrub) and kelp (also in our body wash), which have natural antiseptic properties and will clear away oil (the kaolin and bentonite clay also come into play to help absorb it.)  AHA and BHA are also present to dissolve impurities and dead skin, so that it's no longer clogging your pores. The two ingredients that are touted in this mask are snow lotus and Alpine willow herb extracts, both antioxidants, are not ones I am familiar with. However, all of the ones mentioned above, I do know and love and can feel very much working in this mask. It has become my favorite mask and I use it once per week. My skin is clearer and feels lovely, not to mention it just feels fun to use due to the color and invigorating due to the scent. If you haven't tried it yet, I highly recommend it! 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!

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Positive Thinking: Stop the Battle within Your Mind

Shannon Smyth
Positive Thinking

Positive Thinking is a weekly series of inspirational articles to empower and encourage you.

Too tall, too short, too skinny, too heavy, too smart, not smart enough... quiet the conversations that do battle in your head. Take this quote and live by it. When can we look at and within ourselves and be satisfied? Now, don't get me wrong, I am all on board for growth, that's always a positive, but we don't need to beat ourselves up verbally to grow. Do we? How many times have you had someone retake pictures of you because you weren't happy with how you looked? How many times have you stopped yourself from applying for that job you're a perfect fit for, out of fear that the interviewer won't think you're so perfect after all? How often have you told yourself that you're just not loveable? I have. I've done all of those things. But if it were a good friend talking negatively about themselves? We'd interject and lift them up and encourage them. We'd tell them all of the reasons they are wrong to think that way. So why don't we befriend ourselves? Starting today I want to to find something about yourself that you are proud of and flaunt it because you're perfect just the way you are.  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!

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How to Get Your Energy Back

Shannon Smyth
How to get your energy back We have all experienced the infamous afternoon slump. Your eyelids are barely able to stay open, and you have been eyeing that next cup of coffee for easily an hour. At this point, you would even consider one of those energy drinks to give you a little pick-me-up to get you through the day. While I am all for a delicious cup of coffee, sugar or caffeine will not help you get your energy back to make it through the rest of the day. Whether you have been in a slump for days, weeks, or just during the afternoon, here are some simple tips to help you get your energy back:

Healthy Snacks = Energy

If you work in an office, avoid the vending machine at all costs. That chocolate bar may be calling your name, but it's pure trickery I tell you. Refined or high fructose sugar-laden snacks may give you an initial boost, but that energy runs out faster, making that energy dive feel even worse. Fruit's mixture of natural sugars work at an even keel helping you to avoid the ups and downs energy. Eating a protein-packed lunch will also help you to avoid that afternoon crash as protein takes longer to break down in the body.  Check out post regarding lowering your A1c, which is chock full of info on the right way to eat.

Beauty Sleep is Essential

OK, this is a no-brainer. If you don't get enough sleep, you will just be plain tired. Maybe you are a creative like I am, and your brain is running full speed late into the night preventing you from slumber. I've had to learn that less sleep will mean my creative brain will work sluggishly the next day and less than 7 hours of rest also packs on the pounds. It's just not worth that extra hour or two of staying awake. Put down the phone, stay away from your computer, turn down the lights in your living room and get cozy on the couch. I guarantee you'll relax a lot faster and thank yourself in the morning. (Follow these sleep tips, too.)

Get a Move On

If you work at a sedentary job, make sure you are getting up and moving around regularly throughout the day. Park further away in the lot to add more steps to your walk. Walk the parking lot at lunch. Use a standing desk (they make kits that fit right on your regular desk without any installation needed.) You don’t have to do a full-blown Jillian Michaels Style workout each day, but you need to get up and get your circulation going.

Light It Up

Ditch the blinds in your home and opt for black out curtains that you can slide open each morning, allowing for more natural light to come through. Sunlight naturally energizes you. If you work in an office, try to take breaks and lunch outdoors or in an area of the building with more windows. This is even more important during the Fall and Winter when Season Affective Disorder occurs due to the reduced amount of daylight.

Elevate with Music

Pop in your earbuds or, if you work from your home office, put Alexa on full blast. Create a playlist full of heart pumping songs that is sure to get you tapping your feet and lights that fire back up in your mind. Follow these tips for how to get your energy back. So you don't need energy drinks or candy to give yourself an afternoon boost, instead try to make some adjustments with a little planning and healthy eating and you'll feel immediate results. 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!

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Positive Thinking: Step Out in Faith

Shannon Smyth
Positive Thinking - Step Out in Faith

Positive Thinking is a weekly series of inspirational articles to empower and encourage you.

In the summer of 2018 I turned 44. I always hear people complain about getting older, but I like to look at how far I've come. OK, OK, I may sometimes throw out a comment here or there about feeling old and falling apart, but for the most part, my birthday is my "new year" and when I reflect on the past, present and future. POsitive Thinking: Stepping out in Faith In this photo, I am almost 4 years old. It was my very first recital and I would be going out on stage dancing to "Me and my Teddy Bear." As much as any Leo loves the spotlight, I was scared. What if I forget the steps? What if I mess up the tempo? What if everyone laughs at me? Much like when I first stepped out on stage that day, deciding to expand my beauty blog into a bath and body line several years ago, was scary. What if no one buys my products? What if I make our family go broke? What if I am a complete and total failure? But I faced my fears. I pushed through. Deciding to take a leap and step out in faith is hard. Like, really, really hard. Your mind will play tricks on you and fill you with fear. It'll create every what-if scenario. It'll even take something positive and try to find the negative. You'll also encounter people who seem to only reconfirm those thoughts and scare you more. This happened to me when "friends" would privately message me to say, "So many beauty brands fail in the first few years," and "I hate to say this, but you really aren't going to make it," and "I don't like how you chose to start your company and I will never support you or buy from you." All of the above were real things said to me. I would sit here and silently cry at my desk...and sometimes sob to my husband. Maybe I'm not smart enough? I mean, I've never done something like this before. Maybe I'm naive in thinking I can be successful. Every fearful thought multiplied in my head as more people offered their opinions. And we all know the saying about opinions. ;) Eventually I looked in the mirror and realized that I was allowing fear to hold me back. That's when I decided I would push forward and give it my best shot and here I am, still going strong. I'm telling you all of this because each day is an opportunity to face something you are afraid of and grow from it. Is today the day you need to look in the mirror and tell fear you won't be held back any longer? Is today the day you will step out in faith and believe in yourself? One day you'll look back and be thankful you did. 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!

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How to Prevent Dry, Chapped Skin

Shannon Smyth

Cold weather is known to be harsh to our skin. If there is any truth to the combination of things to make the "perfect storm," the colder months seem to know how to brew that recipe perfectly.

Freezing temps, gusty winds, and dry air can do damage to our skin in an instant. All that hard work that you've done throughout the warmer months can easily go right out the window once colder weather hits.

The good news? There are things you can be proactive with in order to help prevent dry, chapped skin.

How to Prevent Dry, Chapped Skin

Shea Butter

Any type of lotion with the word "butter" in its name has to be good, right? Shea butter has some amazing benefits, such as restoring skin's elasticity and being a fnatastic emollient. Not only does it help to moisturize already dry skin, but it can also be used to help create a nice barrier for your already chapped skin (in case you are reading this after the fact!)

Many people tend to use shea butter at night and lather up the areas of their body that need a bit of extra care. This is mainly because shea butter alone tends to be greasy. But any A Girl's Gotta Spa! reader knows, our body lotion with shea butter (and cocoa butter) is non-greasy and can be used day or night without worry.

Cocoa Butter

Cocoa butter is known as a healthy fat since the main component of it is coconut oil. Since it's high in fat, it can help to create a barrier for your skin, much like shea butter, that can keep it feeling baby smooth all winter long.

One cocoa butter tip? If the heels of your feet are dry and cracking, exfoliate them first (we make a great body scrub) and then apply lotion. Sloughing off the dead skin preps the affected area to better absorb the nourishing ingredients from the lotion.

After just a few times of doing this, your heels will be totally transformed! While there may be many cocoa butter lotions available to help bring back the moisture and glow to your skin, don't forget that there are things that you can also do in your everyday life that can also help to prevent your skin from becoming dry and chapped as well.

What Can You Do In Your Daily Life To Help Keep Your Skin Moisturized?

Believe it or not, there are some things within your control to keeping your skin happy and healthy! Take a step back and implement some of these suggestions on how you can treat your skin and your body better during the harsh, colder months.
  • Turn down the temperature when taking a shower.
Taking a super hot shower may "feel" nice, but it can also do quite a number on your skin as it'll deplete moisture. Turn down the temp to luke warm and limit the time you spend in the shower as well - even cutting back by 5 minutes will help. You may find that this simple tip can really help to keep your skin's natural moisture barrier remain intact.
  • Try to limit lotions and body washes that have a million "fillers."

When reading the label on your lotion, do you need a PhD and magnifying glass to read the extensive list of ingredients? Keep it simple and look for a lotion and body wash with ingredients you understand. Always look at those first two lines of ingredients - that's what your product contains the most of.

I hope these tips will help you with your dry skin woes this season! 

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10 Little Habits to Relieve Stress

Shannon Smyth

There are so many stressors in our daily lives. From work, life at home, to even daily life, we are constantly bombarded with stress. Over time, all these little stressors can start to add up!

10 little habits to help relieve stress:

Read a book

Sometimes it can be nice to step outside of all the things going on in our lives and get lost in a good book. When choosing a book, look for something that is fiction or a book you can envelop your entire attention.

Get moving

Exercising at least 30 minutes every day can not only help reduce stress, but help release endorphins to boost your mood. Take a fitness class or go for a run, if you don’t have time to leave the house, look on YouTube for a good workout you can do from home. (I personally love Rebecca Louise.) Another great way to move your body, but also reduce stress is with yoga. I attend a Yin Yoga class once a week and this has made such a difference in my life. (It also helped with reducing pain.)

relax with a girl's gotta spa!

Write it down

If you have a lot on your mind that is causing you stress, write it down. Sometimes journaling can help to see all your thoughts or starting a to-do list on paper can help you start prioritizing and get better organized.

Eat a healthier diet

Sometimes the reason we feel so bad is because of what we’re putting in our bodies. Junk food or unhealthy food can affect our overall mood and make us feel less than stellar. Fruits and veggies will do the trick to getting you back on track. Read: Recipes with Vitamin C and Zinc

Do some deep breathing

If you are stressed out, take a moment to do some deep breathing. Simple breathing cannot only help you relax and calm down but also help you refocus. A great app to do this with is Calm. I also personally use Insight Timer (there is both a free and paid version) to help me fall into a more restful, deep sleep at night. This small change for me, made a big difference.

Do a quick declutter

If you are stressed or feeling stressed in your home, it might be that you have too much stuff. Sometimes the best thing you can do is remove the clutter and sort through it, and better still, donate what you no longer need.

Learn to say no

Having too much on your plate can cause stress, and not everything requires our attention. Learning to say no can help you not only have more free time, but keep you from having a full to-do list all the time. Amen to that!

Unplug every now and then

You don’t have to completely power down your phone, but you do need to put it down from time to time. Let the outside world wait for a little while and unplug when you can. Aim for an hour of unplugged time per day, usually leading up before bed is a good time. (Which gives you the opportunity to incorporate tip #1.)

Go for a walk

Even if it’s just around the block, getting out for a walk can be a great way to reduce stress and help you feel better. If you can, try and incorporate a daily walk into your daily schedule. Nature is good for the soul. Read: Why Nature is Good for Your Mental Health

Learn to let things go

There are so many things out of our control. You can’t change everything, and there will be plenty of things that don’t go your way. Learn to let go of those things and don’t let them consume you. Instead focus on the things you can change - like your mindset. These little habits will have a big impact on how stressed you are and help you be able to manage your stress better in the future.

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Halloween Makeup Tutorial - Itsy Bitsy Spider

Shannon Smyth
Halloween makeup tutorial - itsy bitsy spider (not so much itsy!) If you struggle to come up with a creative costume for Halloween, I found this amazing Halloween makeup tutorial by Los Angeles MUA Ana Safazada, she titles "Itsy Bitsy Spider." Be sure to check out her video, the step by steps are very clear and she uses easily accessible makeup to create this look:
You can click the video to be taken to her page for her list of the products she used. Her portfolio is also on her website www.anasafazada.com. Instagram and Twitter are also @AnaSafazada. She's an amazing talent! 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!

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