Prince Charcoal is a naturally detoxing charcoal mask from Fleur & Bee. Clean ingredients, botanically based, and cruelty free.

Inspired by the flavors of foods and flowers, ELLOVI has a line of vegan and cruelty free skin care you are sure to fall in love with. Which, it's no coincidence that the pronounciation of the brand literally spells out LOVE. I had the opportunity to try out their Lip Butter and their multi-tasking Butter for review.

ELLOVI Lip Butter

Lip balm has gotten an upgrade with ELLOVI. I absolutely adore the chic tin the Lip Butter Collection comes in and I love the sleek black packaging with a pop of color. If you happen to be applying these lip butters in a public place, you're sure to get noticed. They're anything but ordinary. The Lip Butter is formulated with only 6 ingredients, but there are 4 that are a constant in each flavor: Macadamia butter, shea butter, coconut oil, and sunflower seed wax. All provide hydration and don't feel sticky or cakey on your lips. Each Lip Butter has a hint of flavor and fragrance, which are naturally created. Original has marula and ylang ylang oil; Tinted Rose has Rose Absolute Oil and Akanet Root; Vanilla has vanilla and marula oil; and Tangerine has tangerine and ylang ylang oil. Lip Butter has good slip and makes your lips feel nourished. You don't need to purchase all of the Lip Butters in a tin, as they are also sold separately.

ELLOVI Butter

ELLOVI's Butter is an amazing little multi-tasker meant for hands, feet, face, and hair. And it's actually not that little. It's 3.4 ounces in a substantial glass jar. This is my first time using a hemp-based beauty product (I know. I am so behind.) Like the Lip Butters, Butter is comprised of only a handful of ingredients: Hemp seed butter, arrowroot powder, marula oil, shea butter, cocoa butter, and peppermint oil. I received their Butter in Mint, and OMG, this Butter is minty and creamy like Breyers Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream. Like I literally wanted to scoop it out of the jar and eat it. But, since it's better suited for my skin, I passed. Butter is very much a balm in terms of texture, but melts on your skin on contact. It is greasy when first applied, but is quickly absorbed into the skin. Since it is a balm, you don't need to apply as much as a lotion. A little scoop will thin out with your body heat and apply to a much wider area, so be conservative in how much you apply to your skin. Did I mention how good it smells??? I've been using it on my hands and they are so super soft. Elbows and knees are also in on this moisture party. I applied a very small amount through my hair once dry and it was a great de-frizzer without weighing my hair down. These are great products; definitely worth checking out! www.ellovi.com 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!

The only department in Whole Foods that I normally skip is the beauty department. It's true. I guess I've always just felt that the Whole Foods beauty department contained products that would be of little or no interest to me due to them smelling weird or my assumption that they were ineffective. Well we all know what they say about assuming. Silly me. After actually browsing through the beauty department, I realized that Whole Foods carried some of my favorite beauty products that I normally have to search for online due to most retailers not carrying them in store. Whole Foods has now become one of my favorite destinations for beauty products that are natural, organic, cruelty free and that perform amazingly well. A few of my favorite beauty products from Whole Foods are: 1. Alaffia Pineapple Coconut Shea Butter Soap, $2.99  I love a good bar of soap and this soap smells incredible. It leaves my skin soft and moisturized plus it is triple milled and Certified Fair Trade. 2. Juice Beauty Green Apple Peel Sensitive, $39 This peel contains alpha hydroxy acids and exfoliates while also reducing the appearance of dark spots and discoloration.  After using this, my skin is left glowing. 3. Kiss My Face Lavender and Shea Moisture Shave, $4.99 This is my all time favorite shaving product.  This shave cream is really moisturizing and contains Vitamin E and oils to soften skin. The creamy formula provides a smooth, close shave with Golden Seal, lemongrass and aloe that help to soothe and olive and coconut oils to moisturize. My legs are left feeling touchably soft with absolutely no bumps! 4. Eco Lips Vanilla Bean Organic Lip Scrub, $9.99 This lip scrub contains organic, Fair Trade Certified sugar that gently exfoliates and polishes. It also contains organic coconut oil, olive oil and jojoba oil to condition and protect lips leaving them soft, smooth and moisturized. After using this scrub I don't even need to use lip balm. This scrub is an absolute MUST before applying lipstick, especially red lipstick, because it makes application a breeze and red lipstick just looks better on flake-free lips. Plus it is edible! 5. 365 Everyday Value Organic Virgin Coconut Oil, $5.99 So I don't exactly get this in the beauty department, but this is one of my favorite multiple use beauty products. I use it as a makeup remover, deep conditioning hair treatment, as a body scrub by mixing it with coffee grounds, lemon and honey and as a shaving oil whenever I am out of my regular shaving product. What's your best beauty discovery at Whole Foods? Leave a comment and let me know! 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!

I know that this may sound somewhat contradictory, but I love wearing makeup that I can't really feel. I like knowing that it's there on my skin, but do not want to be reminded that it's actually sitting on my skin throughout the day. This is why I love wearing Susan Posnick COLORFLO Loose Mineral Foundation. It's an incredibly luxurious mineral foundation that provides beautiful coverage, contains natural sun protection and imparts an insanely gorgeous glow. It's so lightweight that I forget that I'm even wearing anything - until someone comments on how glowing and fabulous my skin looks. I love that the colors range from light natural for those who are fair-skinned to caramel for darker skin tones. I'm currently using shade M8- Golden Beige, just one color shy of their darkest shade. This mineral foundation is amazingly easy to apply, especially with the Kabuki Brush, which is a dense, soft brush that makes application a breeze - the mineral foundation literally takes less than a minute to apply! Just follow the application instructions by swirling the brush into the minerals, tapping the brush on the side of the cap, and then apply to your face. Susan Posnick COLORFLO Loose Mineral Foundation is gluten-free, paraben-free, cruelty free and also contains vitamins A and E.  The foundation retails for $38 and the Kabuki Brush retails for $24.  She also offers a 2-in-1 COLORFLO as well. Have you tried Susan Posnick's products yet? 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! Disclosure: press sample

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post for Paula's Choice.  All opinions expressed in this post are my own. Who can resist Paula's Choice in their skin care routine? Sorry, I couldn't help but make that joke, although I have to say that now that I've tried this skin care line, I'm pretty much hooked. Prior to this review, I hadn't tried any of Paula's Choice skin care, although I am very much aware of Paula Begoun, the founder, as the Cosmetics Cop who is all about truth in beauty, skin care, ingredients and proven research. In fact, I had the chance to interview her when Beautypedia launched several years ago. Her website has a full encyclopedia of advice for every type of skin care concern. She is a wealth of information! I am a true skin care junkie. I absolutely believe that it doesn't matter how much contouring and concealing you do or how much makeup you wear - if your skin is a mess, there is no hiding that! Besides, the better you treat your skin, the less makeup you'll have to invest in to fix your flaws.

Paula's Choice Skin Care Consultation

My relationship with Paula's Choice began with a personalized skin care consultation. Paula’s Choice is committed to customer advocacy, education and helping people find the best products for their skin. In fact, everyone can receive a FREE personal skincare consultation by calling this number: 1-800-831-4088. I spoke with Moniqua, who asked me to briefly explain my skin and routine to her. She asked follow up questions to further clarify my skin type and changes I am seeing in my skin. Over the years my skin has changed a lot. In my youth (or back in the olden days, as my kids would say), my skin was oily. Throughout most of my adult years, it transitioned into combination (normal to oily.) When I moved to the Pocono Mountains in 2003, it became dry in the Fall and Winter and then back to combination for Spring and Summer. (Where you live can have a major impact on your skin.) However, during my recent pregnancy and post-partum AND now being considered to have "mature" (UGH) skin, it has again transitioned to normal to dry. Trying to find products that work well have been close to impossible. Trying to figure out the circus that is my skin has become incredibly frustrating, so I appreciated having a skin care expert to chat with to get a customized skin care regimen in place for me. Paula's Choice offers a 100% money back guarantee (within 60 days) - so I liked that safeguard when choosing products. Paula's Choice is also cruelty free and does not contain irritating dyes or fragrances. Their product line includes something for everyone, acne, rosacea, aging, pores. They treat it all. On their website, you can choose from a menu of skincare concerns you’d like to treat and for me that was sun damange (hyperpigmentation), uneven skin tone, balancing my skin so that it was not dry yet not oily, treating the occasional blemish, the always annoying blackheads and diminishing the signs of aging (fine lines, wrinkles.) You could say Moniqua had her work cut out for her to find me Paula's Choice products that could meet all of my needs.

Paula's Choice Skin Care for Mature Skin

The Paula's Choice skin care regimen that was suggested were products from the Resist line. One of the major standouts for me about this line is the texture. I am not a big fan of heavy creams and serums, and the Resist line is very lightweight. From the toner to the serum, BHA and moisturizer, I am thrilled at how each product applies and despite all of the layering, it doesn't feel that way. In total, my morning and night skin care routine contain 6 products: Resist Perfectly Balanced Foaming Cleanser, Resist Weightless Toner, Resist Daily Pore-Refining Treatment 2% BHA, Resist Moisture Renewal Oil Booster, Resist 25% Vitamin C Spot Treatment, Resist Daily Fluid SPF 50 (day), and Resist Anti-Aging Clear Skin Hydrator (night.) Once a week I swap out the 2% BHA for the Resist Weekly Retexturizing Foam 4% BHA. Right now I'm using the Oil Booster, but once my skin has finally balanced out, I plan to use the Resist Hyaluronic Acid Booster, which is for all skin types. Now you may ask, are all of those products really necessary? Here's my stance - most people will try to skip a product or two in order to save time and money, but then end up spending it on cosmetics to conceal whatever issue wasn't addressed. When those cosmetics aren't enough, they think it's the skin care products they're using and go onto try something else. By the time it's all said and done, you've spent more money than you've intended and more time trying to fix a problem that could've been easily solved to begin with. I encourage you to give Paula's Choice a try and set up a consultation so that you get the right products in your hands. www.paulaschoice.com Have you tried Paula's Choice? I'd love to hear about your experience in the comments. 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!

  KEUNE's So Pure products should simply be called "bottle of awesome." I had never tried this line prior to being sent them a few months ago, and I was skeptical that anything could combat my scalp issue at the time. All I can say is, scalp dryness and flaking? GONE. I've been on the hunt for a while for a good scalp exfoliator, especially one that is cruelty free. And let's get real, I don't really have the time or energy these days to whip up a good DIY. When I learned about KEUNE's So Pure Exfoliating Shampoo, I was intrigued. Its main ingredients are tea tree oil, lavender, coconut and argan oil. It aims to remove build up, relieve itching and prevent future flaking. Living in the Pocono Mountains, the heat is on most of the year and between the wood stove and oil heat, the moisture in my hair is depleted fast. This only leaves me in a never-ending cycle of using moisturizing hair products, my scalp over-producing sebum and me trying to pick every single flake out of my hair. It is super embarassing to say the least. The Exfoliating Shampoo is clear, smells of a combination of tea tree, lavender and other essential oils. It's a pleasant scent and not overpowering. You don't need too much for it to work its magic. Since it is sulfate-free, it won't really lather up. I massage my scalp and let it sit for a minute or two. The cap is a little tricky to open though. The cap is round and you have to pull up to open... when my hands are already wet, sometimes I can't get a good grip on the round cap to pull it open. In about a week's time I noticed a decrease in scalp itchiness. In about two weeks time, I saw a noticeable decrease in flaking. By week three it was like I had a whole new scalp and head of hair. No more build up, no itchiness and no flakes (and I was using a regular conditioner from another brand at the same time.) I literally have been using this shampoo for months and have only used half the bottle. If you've been reading my blog for a while, then you know I don't wash my hair every day (just 2-3 times per week.) Whether it's frizziness due to depleted moisture or humidity, KEUNE's So Pure Defrizz Shine Serum has also become a must-have for me. Like the Exfoliating Shampoo, the serum is clear, paraben-free and has a light, semi-sweet fragrance of orange, palmarosa and argan oil. I only use 1-2 pumps on my damp, towel-dried hair and that seems to do the trick for managing frizz while increasing shine. The serum is weight-less, so I can still use a volumizing hair treatment (or not) and not notice any pull to my hair. Also like the Exofoliating Shampoo, I've been using this for months and it looks like I've barely touched the bottle! I haven't yet tried the Moisturizing Shampoo, as my hair hasn't needed it yet. So I am totally hoarding it until winter. I'm loving what I've tried so far from KEUNE. The best part is that the So Pure line has various collections like Color Care, Calming, Cooling, Exfoliating, etc. You can view them all on their website www.keune.com. 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! Disclosure: press samples, affiliate links

Throughout history, women have always coveted longer, fuller lashes. Heck, it's one of the reasons we're all on the hunt for that holy grail mascara. Over the years, mascaras have gotten better at helping women fake incredible lashes and the fiber mascara trend is one of them. I had the opportunity to test out cruelty free cosmetic brand, Physicians Formula, newest innovation - Eye Booster Instant Lash Extension Kit. The kit includes a mascara with a slightly curved brush and a separate bottle of fibers with a wand to apply them. There are 3 steps involved, with an additional 2 steps that are completely optional. Step 1 (optional): Curl your lashes. Step 2 Apply Lash Boosting Mascara to prep for fibers. You'll want to apply about 3-4 coats. Don't let them dry in between coats. Step 3 With the Lash Extension wand, brush on fibers while your mascara is still wet. Fibers will spill onto your face, so it's best to lean forward slightly to avoid any fall out near your eye. Step 4 Reapply Lash Boosting Mascara to seal and set the fibers by tapping on the mascara. (Brushing may cause some fibers to come off, so tapping is best.) Step 5 (optional) For even more length and volume, repeat steps 2 and 3. There is no fragrance to the mascara or fibers. The mascara didn't clump, but the fibers do tend to spill onto your skin. They didn't stick to my skin though, and were easy to wipe off with a tissue. I found that tapping the mascara on for step 4 kept more of the fibers on my lashes vs getting caught up in the mascara wand if I combed on the mascara. I also liked the extra volume and length Eye Booster Instant Lash Extension Kit gave when I repeated steps 3 and 4. Another bonus about the mascara is that the mascara formula contains the same lash-boosting peptide (myristoyl pentapeptide-17) that's found in the original Eye Booster 2-in-1 Lash Boosting Eyeliner + Serum to visibly enhance natural lash growth and appearance of lashes! It also effectively conditions and nourishes lashes, so they don't feel dry or brittle. The Eye Booster Instant Lash Extension Kit didn't clump or smudge. The fibers never flaked off. It claimed to last for up to 24 hours, so I committed a beauty sin and wore it to bed and woke up with my lashes looking exactly the same. Definitely try the new Physicians Formula Eye Booster Instant Lash Extension Kit for easy DIY ultra-glam lashes in just two minutes! I think you'll love 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 and G+. Got a Kindle? We’re on Kindle too! Disclosure: This is a sponsored post for Physicians Formula through Condé Nast. All opinions and glamorous lashes are my own.

When it comes to cleansing my body, I never did like using a bar of soap, I have always preferred body washes, gels or shower oils. I have rarely found a soap that I enjoy using. They tend to leave a filmy residue that leaves my skin dry and itchy, especially during winter. So of course I was skeptical when I received a bar of Milky Rose soap from Osmia Organics. Their soaps are made with organic oils, organic and natural plant butters, organic and wildcrafted herbs, organic milks, and organic or wildcrafted essential oils. They avoid things like synthetic fragrances, artificial colors, parabens and phthalates and there is no animal cruelty involved. Also their soaps are wrapped in 100% post-consumer, recycled paper and hemp twine which is biodegradable and compostable. Skepticism aside, I absolutely love their packaging! Seriously, this soap was way too pretty to open. And when I did eventually open it, I was definitely not expecting rose petals (organic), on top of the bar. The scent is light, fresh and clean.  It's all so very lovely! When using this organic soap I found that it lathered really well and there was no overwhelming rose scent. It didn't feel abrasive or tacky. It's very creamy and gentle. However, after rinsing I did feel like there still was a bit of soap residue left on my skin, but it also left my body moisturized and feeling soft. My skin did not feel dry and irritated like it normally does with bar soaps. I won't be giving up my body washes anytime soon, but a soap like this that has all natural and nourishing ingredients is definitely worth a try! To peruse other natural, organic, quality products besides this lovely soap please visit www.osmiaorganics.com. 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! *Disclosure: press sample

Vegan Cuts, an online marketplace and beauty box curating site of the best vegan products, has teamed up with Leaping Bunny (the grand master of cruelty free certification) to create a specialty starter kit to help you discover some great cruelty free brands. Up front I'll tell you that I love Leaping Bunny, and as a certified cruelty free brand ourselves, I can 100% get behind this Vegan Cuts Fresh Start Kit. Here's what you'll get: Alba Botanica: ACNEdote Clean 'n Treat Towelettes - 10-pack, 2.4 oz. Aubrey Organics: EveryDay Basics Moisturizer - 1.7 oz. Crazy Rumors: Plum Apricot Bunny Balm - 1 oz. Desert Essence: Hand and Body Lotion - 8 oz. (Italian Lemon or Island Mango scent) JĀSÖN: Antiplaque Toothpaste - 3 oz. (Powersmile® Antiplaque & Whitening Toothpaste, or Sea Fresh® Antiplaque & Strengthening Toothpaste) Montagne Jeunesse: Cucumber Peel Off Face Masque - .3 oz Preserve: Toothbrush - 4.6 oz. hello: mojito mint breath spray - .24 oz. Wellinhand Action Remedies: Tangerine Vanilla Astringent Toner - 6 oz. Leaping Bunny Pocket Size Shopping Guide What I love most is that all of these products are ones I've never used before. As a beauty blogger, that is refreshing, but also as someone who wants to support cruelty free brands, I loved that this Vegan Cuts Leaping Bunny Fresh Start Kit ($27.95 USD) helped me discover them. I have combination skin and the Alba Botanica ACNEdote Clean 'n Treat Towelettes, Wellinhand Action Remedies Tangerine Vanilla Astringent Toner and Aubrey Organics EveryDay Basics Moisturizer have worked so well with my skin. The towelettes have been a great makeup remover without leaving a greasy residue behind; the toner's scent is a welcomed one as most toners I've used have that herbal or medicinal fragrance to them; and the moisturizer absorbs quickly and actually makes my skin look more matte (which I am a huge fan of.) I've heard such great things about Crazy Rumors, and as a lip balm addict, this shea butter balm has been on my lips since I opened the kit. Smells yummy and my lips are so hydrated. JASON Antiplaque Toothpaste is a mix between paste and gel and does a great job cleaning my teeth. I loved that the toothbrush from Preserve is made from recycled yogurt cups! This was a great way to show my sons exactly what recycling and repurposing means. As someone who is kind of weird in loving to remove peeling skin from a sunburn (don't judge), I can now move that into a healthier habit with Montagne Jeunesse's Cucumber Peel Off Face Masque. There's something therapeutic about taking off the old to reveal the new. In my box was the Island Mango lotion from Desert Essence and it'll remind you of an island getaway. And lastly, the mojito mint breath spray from hello is a must-have in your handbag. Another benefit of purchasing the Fresh Start Kit is that a portion of the proceeds are donated to the Leaping Bunny program. (I encourage you to learn more about what they do!) Have you purchased any of Vegan Cuts beauty or snack boxes? 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! *Disclosure

You deserve to be pampered. Do you believe that? You should! In this video I talk about A Girl's Gotta Spa! Energizing Citrus Body Lotion, including the ingredients, how it works and what I was looking to achieve in order to meet your needs when creating this beauty brand. This isn't your typical shea lotion and I truly believe it is the best lotion for dry skin (or any skin!) Watch the video for more info: Ingredients: Aqua (Water), Olea Europaea (Olive) Fruit Oil, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea Butter), Theobroma Cacao (Cocoa) Seed Butter, Cetearyl Alcohol (and) Polysorbate 60, Citrus Paradisii (Pink Grapefruit) Peel Oil, Phenoxyethanol (and) Caprylyl Glycol (and) Sorbic Acid, Citrus Limon (Lemon) Peel Oil, Citrus Latifolia (Lime) Oil, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis (Orange) Peel Oil. Facts: Vegan, 94% natural, certified cruelty free, and made in the USA. Where to buy: www.agirlsgottaspa.com/store, and Amazon.com. See our website for a full list of retailers. Sign up for our product newsletter and receive 10% off your first purchase: http://eepurl.com/ODuT1 (Can only be used directly on agirlsgottaspa.com) Please leave a comment if you've used it!