We all have favorite things; even Oprah has a show based around it. If you've been here for a while, you'll notice when I absolutely love a product and sometimes mention that it's one of my favorites. So have you been paying attention lately? ;)

In the next few days a contest will be launching on A Girl's Gotta Spa!....a contest specifically for moms here within the US. I'm a little biased being a mom myself and I felt there had to be another mom out there that must be in some dire need of pampering. Is it you?

Here's a few teasers about this contest that I call "Mom: Get Glamorous!":

The winning mom will receive a beauty prize pack that is a combination of makeup, skin care and other beauty items.

This prize pack contains 10 of my favorite products and values at $300.

Want to know one of the products in it? Boots No7 Restore & Renew.

I'll have a guest judge helping me out to chose the winning mom. She is also one of my favorite moms and is an editor of a popular beauty magazine.

This same beauty magazine is also adding to the prize pack with one of their own for the winning mom.

If you need some pampering---you want to win this prize pack.

So moms, spread the word to any mom you feel may be interested in winning some very fabulous beauty products. And stay tuned here; I'll be announcing the contest and all of the details in the next few days...the contest starts July 6th after all. :)

Tags: contest, beauty, motherhood, boots no7 restore & renew

With the summer heat really bringing it on, many of us are baring a little more skin, but is your skin ready to be bare or are you still showing signs of winter skin?

I was approached to try out the new Softsoap Nutra-Oil Moisturizing Body Wash and I thought, Why not? I am already a fan of Softsoap's Pure Cashmere foaming moisturizing hand soaps; I have it at both my bathroom sinks and the kitchen sink (Pure Cashere smells so very nice). With how often I have to wash my hands because of the baby, their hand soaps don't dry out my hands and leave them fabulously moisturized. I figure, the new Nutra-Oil Moisturizing Body Wash can do the same.

Nutra-Oil is a moisturizing body wash infused with extracts of nutrient oils, yet it is non-greasy. I am a girl who loves bubbles and Nutra-Oil doesn't disappoint. Lots of bubbles and silky soft skin, what more can a girl ask for? Nutra-oil comes in Almond Oil & Shea Butter and Olive Oil & Aloe Vera. The Almond Oil & Shea Butter has a slight citrus fragrance and Olive Oil & Aloe Vera has a great melon scent. The Nutra-Oil also comes in a whopping 18oz. bottle for only about $5 (which I find pretty amazing).

Also, Softsoap Nutra-Oil is encouraging women to take the "silky dress test" to prove that the formula effectively absorbs into their skin leaving only deeply-hydrated skin behind. Don't have a silky dress to test? Well, at www.silkydresstest.com, you can vie for the chance to win a one-of-a-kind dress by Laura Bennett (of Project Runway, Season 3 fame). The silky dress winner will be flown to New York to meet and collaborate on a dress with Laura.

Find more products by Softsoap.


Tags: softsoap nutra-oil, beauty, skincare

As most of you know, I've been on maternity leave from my writing on Pierce Mattie PR's blogs. I return next week after my 2 month hiatus. I'm usually the one doing the interviewing around there for posts; but the tables were turned and they interviewed me. It's nice to be able to return to a job you love and know that they love you. :)

Check it out: Checking In With Blogger Shannon Nelson

I received KLEAN Bath & Body's Sugar Body Polish in Blue Hawaii, KLEAN Mist in Grass and Extreme Moisturizing Shea Lotion in Zen Tea. I loved these products so much, that I placed an order right away for their Pearlized Bath & Body Wash (and another lotion!). While most companies scents for their products seem to almost always duplicate Bath & Body Works in some way or another, KLEAN really stands out for their unique product scents making this a very memorable pampering experience.

While I am in absolute love with Grass and Zen Tea, my stand out favorite is Blue Hawaii. Blue Hawaii is a sweet and tropical combination of coconut and jasmine. This scent is divine. DIVINE. Anyone who has stopped by my house since I received these products has had to put up with me forcing the Sugar Polish under their noses exclaiming, "You have got to smell this!"

Grass reminds me of that first time everyone's lawn's are cut in Spring...or how the air smells just after it rains. The scent is soothing and clean. Zen Tea (Green Tea) also gives off that really clean and refreshing fragrance.

KLEAN's Sugar Polish is fabulous. It contains pure unrefined Mexican cane sugar, coconut & macadamia nut oils, vegetable glycerin, crushed coconut and coconut milk. Your skin is going to feel so soft and silky smooth from using this product.

KLEAN's Extreme Moisture Shea Lotion is equally as fabulous. You can tell the quality of a product by looking at the ingredients. The two top ingredients in this lotion is aloe and shea butter confirming that it can moisturize even the driest skin.

KLEAN Mist has really great "staying power." It's not a fragrance that will only linger for an hour and then fade away. I've used this Mist on myself and also on my bathroom's linen shower curtain. It is a dry oil spray, so it didn't stain the linen and it didn't feel greasy when I sprayed it on myself.

KLEAN's Pearlized Bath & Body Wash is skin softening and such a great way to start the day in your shower or to relax after a hard day in the evening.

With products this good and scents that stand out among all others, KLEAN Bath & Body has become one of my top ten favorite beauty products.
www.kleanbathandbody.com

Tags: beauty, bath and body, KLEAN

Banler.com, an online beauty retailer giving you the best beauty products at a discount (some up to 45% off!), just recently launched and my eyes have been glued to their site ever since. They have the highly sought after brands such as ReVive, Kerastase, Murad, Freeze 24/7 and MD Skincare (among many others).

Banler.com offers skin care, fragrance, hair care, nail care and even smile care products that include GoSmile (of which I will be testing soon!)

No worries to beauties who live outside of the US--Banler.com ships internationally so you can get the same great discounts no matter where you live.

Have you checked them out?

Tags: beauty, banler.com

No matter your age, pampering feels good. Just ask Brody. He's 6 weeks old today and loves that his mommy is blessed to get products she can lavish upon him and his 3 brothers from time to time. Lucky for him Essencia sent some baby products his way.

(Here's Brody in his Spa Tub)

We received Essencia's Baby Travel Pack, which includes their Body Lotion, Shampoo & Body Wash, Bum Balm and Baby Face Soap. Essencia's products are all natural and this baby travel pack smells of lavender and chamomile.

Their Baby Face Soap is made of essential oils and made Brody's skin so soft. I admit, I too, used this soap a few times for myself! The Shampoo & Body Wash and Body Lotion was so gentle and the lavender fragrance was soothing & calming. Brody is colicky, so this really helped save my sanity several times when giving him a bath with these products.

The Bum Balm looked like it was going to be a thick paste, but I was really surprised to find it to be more of a thin oil. I really hate those thick pasty creams like Desitin, so their Bum Balm was perfect.

(Here's my spa baby in his Ralph Lauren bathrobe--so spoiled!)

Essencia really has some great baby products, and they also have products for moms-to-be, as well as bath and body products for moms and non-moms alike. Brody and I give them a thumbs up.

www.essenciaonline.com

Tags: bath and body, beauty, essencia

Thank you dear readers for participating in Comments 4 A Cure! The Beauty Blog Network raised $3088.22! You can see all of the blogs that took part and the charities that benefited from this event on our Comments 4 A Cure page.

THANK YOU!!!

xo
Shannon

When The Fashion Team reveals their favorite Solessence beauty products on July 10th, be on the lookout for how you may score your own products!

Five (5) lucky viewers will receive a special Solessence gift by logging onto www.solessence.com after the show and entering the correct answer to a question about the Solessence segment aired that night.

Celeb stylist David Evangelista and Daphne Brogdon host The Fashion Team, which airs weekly, Tuesdays @ 9pm/8c only on TV Guide Network. Visit tvguide.com for local channel listings.

Also right now, a Fashion Team charm key chain featuring the FT logo, sunglasses, jeans, high heel and TV Guide logo will be given for every order received, for as long as supplies last. Please note A Girl's Gotta Spa! during the ordering process so they know you heard it here!

Solessence brings the beauty of natural & organic to gifting, with beauty care products that are not only effective, but are a sensory experience worth repeating. Visit www.solessence.com

Tags: tv guide channel, the fashion team, solessence, beauty

If you are a mom of a newborn, a night owl, an insomniac or something inbetween, chances are that you have baggy puffy circles under your eyes. Thank goodness for Boots No7's Reviving Eye Gel, otherwise it would be blatantly obvious that I am quite sleep deprived these days.

Boots No7's Reviving Eye Gel is a greaseless gel containing witch hazel and horse chestnut with ProVitamin B5 decreasing the appearance of those bags and moisturizing them at the same time. You don't need much, just a small dab around each eye, to see a difference.

I totally concur with my fellow beauty bloggers who are reviewing the Boots line of products; it really is a great beauty brand and one that appears to be able to live up to the claims it makes about their products. Find more Boots No7 products.



Tags: boots no7, beauty

Ever since I wrote about Amanda Che's new line of handbags, I have secretly had a lemming for her Marilyn Basket. Actually her entire Marilyn line is quite eye catching, but there is something fun yet trendy, yet total diva about it. I can totally see myself with this handbag heading out to the mall with my girlfriends on a Saturday afternoon or having it in tow when going out on a date with my husband.

Maybe it is the youthful look it exudes? Since Marilyn died so young, her beauty remains timeless and I can see that in this bag.


Tags: fashion, handbags, A.Che

I LOVE exfoliating. I love my scrubs so much, that I really have to put the reigns on myself not to go into exfoliation overload. There is just something about sloughing off that lifeless dead skin to reveal vibrant glowing healthy skin underneath.

I was so excited when I received Borghese's Salt Scrub because I have heard that their products are amazing. I was surprised when I opened the jar and didn't actually see any salt, but instead what resembled their Fango Mud instead. The scent was wonderful and was the total essence of spa. Of course, it wasn't mud in this salt scrub, it was avacado, mango and shea butters. It also has olive and grape seed oils, sea salt and pumice.

Borghese's Salt Scrub felt so wonderful on my skin. I've even used it a few times after coming back from the beach and it was so soothing taking all of that beach dirt off my freshly tanned skin.

Have you used this product? What did you think?
Find more products by Borghese.



Tags: beauty, borghese

I have this little addiction to soap, not your run of the mill bar soap from your local market, but the kind found at boutiques, spa's and bath & body stores. I love glycerin soap, shea butter soap and soaps made of essential oils. For some reason it just feels plain luxurious to moisturize my skin this way.

One of the latest soaps I've been using is inSpa's Moisturizing Soap. It's not particularly large in size, however with proper care (ie. don't leave it sitting in the water), it's lasted me several weeks. It's made of coconut, palm and olive oils, chamomile and essentials oils such as lemon, cinnamon leaf, clove, tangerine, bergamot and white thyme.

It smells great and really leaves your skin feeling soft. Be sure to check out my review on inSpa's Pore Purifying Masque, it's on the top of my list of best facial masks I have ever used.

www.inspa.com


Tags: beauty, skin care, spa

When my beloved Isaac Mizrahi became the spokesperson for StriVectin, I wondered why he was selling out. I'm always skeptical of "miracle" beauty products and StriVectin is one of those products whose trademark even touts that it's, "Better Than Botox."

Then I received StriVectin-HS at the beginning of May. StriVectin-HS is the new Hydro-Thermal Deep Wrinkle Serum; its very concentrated and is a product that tells you up front that you will not see a miracle transformation with your first application. StriVectin-HS is a serum you have to use a few times a day for the first few days and then once everyday after that to see results.

So with great skepticism I began using this product about 6 weeks ago. You start off by using a pea sized amount of serum (for your entire face) and work it into your wrinkles. You then wait about 3 minutes, wet a facecloth with hot water, wring it out and then hold it on your face. When the facecloth has cooled (about 30 seconds) you then pat your face dry.

So did it work?

After the first week I noticed a considerable difference in the fine lines and wrinkles on my forehead and between my eyebrows. I also noticed that my skin was so super soft. By the third and fourth weeks I noticed that the deep wrinkle I have under my right eye had softened up and no longer appeared so in your face reminding me that I will be 33 in 2 months. Now 6 weeks later, the lines and wrinkles on my face have really softened up in their appearance; some not even noticeable anymore.

I'm very happy with the results of this product. Have you tried it? What did you think?

Compare Prices on StriVectin-HS


Tags: beauty, skin care, strivectin-hs

Caviar=Indulgence.

It is no surprise that Alterna's Caviar hair care line feels like complete indulgence. I was completely taken by surprise when I used their Caviar Anti-aging Shampoo & Conditioner. My hair is long and feels thick and coarse. I've never had a day when I can simply use a pick through my hair without spraying on detangler first. YET---these products made my hair feel so wonderful, so soft, so smooth and literally it felt so much lighter, that I was amazed to watch my pick go through my hair without using any other hair product first.

I'm not the only person who was blown away by their products. During the review process was when I was in and out of the hospital (baby, surgery, etc). My mother stayed at my house to help my husband take care of our other children. She called me at the hospital to basically tell me she was taking home the Alterna products. She told me her hair has never felt better or had such a magnificent shine before. It took a lot of arguing, but she finally realized she could not steal my Alterna products from me. (Sorry mom!)

The three ingredients in the Alterna Caviar line that make them like no other are: caviar extract, Vitamin C and Cytokines. You not only see the difference in your hair immediately, it is something you feel when you run your fingers through it, too.

Amazing, amazing product.

www.4alterna.com

Tags: beauty, alterna hair care

Elke von Freudenberg: Makeup Artist/Beauty Blogger

Lianne Farbes: Makeup Artist/Beauty Blogger

Jeremy Wright: CEO b5media

Joanna Roche: VP of Beauty at Pierce Mattie PR

Elizabeth Shoemaker: Photographer & Artist

Karen Newman: Editor in Chief Global Cosmetics Industry Magazine

Jason Jobson: Chanel

Greg Cartwright: Owner Downtime Massage

Holly Houk: Beauty & Fashion Illustration Artist

Paula Begoun: Owner Paula's Choice & Beauty Author

Billy B: Celebrity Makeup Artist

Gaelle Morand & Chris Zwirner: Fashion Photographers

Gina Nigrelli: Jewelry Designer & Owner of Jules Smith Designs

Tags: beauty interviews, fashion interviews

If you watched the Today Show yesterday, you may have heard all about how Boots No7 Protect & Perfect is all the rage in Britian. You may have also heard Matt Lauer say it is not available here in the US.

Lesson #1--do not let Matt Lauer do a segment on women's skin care. (I bet his wife was well aware that this product could be found at their local CVS and Target.)

Boots No7 Protect & Perfect IS available in the US, however, here it is called Restore & Renew. The only difference in the U.K. product vs. the U.S. product is a slight molecular variation due to FDA regulations, but all the evidence to date shows that they are equivalent in their activity.

I received Boots No7 Restore & Renew Beauty Serum a few weeks ago to review. Restore & Renew is a light, nongreasy serum that quickly absorbs into your skin. I noticed that my skin felt softer and had a noticeable difference in its appearance. I'm confident that with continued use, maybe I'll look 29 again...

Kidding aside, this really is a great product and retailing for only about $22, I'd say it's well worth working into your skin care routine. Find other Boots No.7 products.

**Canadian readers: You can pick up Boots No7 Restore & Renew at Shopper's Drug Mart.



Tags: beauty, Boots no7, skin care

Last year I had the pleasure of reviewing products from Sharon Bolton Scents (remember Luv was my absolute favorite scent?) Well, Sharon has further fed into my addiction for Luv by adding Soy candles to her product line.

Sharon Bolton Scents Soy Candles have the same great fragrance as her lotions and perfume oils. The scent is long lasting and the candle burns evenly (because I really hate candles that pool in the center). These candles are made from all natural Soy and Palm and burns for about 50 hours. (And when the website says that Luv is an intoxicating scent, they are 100% correct!)

If you love her fragrances Truth, Soul and Luv in her bath and body products, you will absolutely want to get one of these candles.

www.sharonboltonscents.com

Giving a little exposure to a fellow Beauty Blog Network blog, BeautyNewsNYC is holding a contest on their blog to win a Penhaligon hatbox of Bluebell:

Summer time and the air smells delicious, and so will two lucky winners. The luxury perfumer Penhaligon, who creates perfumes for Kings and Queens has created something special for our own BeautyNews royals. So elegant and delightful, you'll want to keep it someplace special; this beautiful hatbox filled to the brim with their popular Penhaligon fragrance Bluebell. Cognoscenti know that Bluebell is the favorite fragrance of Sienna Miller and the late Pricess Di. Two lucky winners will receive this gorgeous fragrance ensemble created especially for Beauty News which includes:

"Bluebell Bath & Shower Gel" - 200 ml $75
"Bluebell Eau de Toilette" Spray - 50 ml $70
"Bluebell Talcum Powder" - 100 ml $20
"Bluebell Classic Candle" - 140 G $40

Click Here To Enter To Win!

Tags: beauty, beautynewsnyc, penhaligon

This is one auction you will not want to miss! Not only is it for a great cause; 100% of the proceeds benefit the American Cancer Society, but there are 3 auctions chock full of some awesome beauty goodies!

Auction goes live on June 10th at 12pm PST, so the links on our ebay page don't work until then. However, check out the awesome list of products in each auction!

Goodie Bag #1:

58 items total / starting bid: $100
item product highlights:
1 Pure Pashmina Black Shawl
Tarte Cosmetics Collection (18 items)
Kenzo Perfume Set (3)
China Glaze Nail Polishes & Treatment Products (6)
Zoya Gift Bag (8)

Goodie Bag #2:

88 items total / starting bid: $200
item product highlights:
Du Wop Cosmetics (5)
SkinActives Skincare (7)
Bourjois Paris Makeup (16) ($250 value)
Alterna Hair Care (4)
Max Factor Cosmetics (13)
1 Narrow Wet/Dry 1" Straightening Iron

Goodie Bag #3:

9 items / 5 sets / starting bid: $20
Nubar Nail Polish Collections (2) +Manicure Set

Click here to see a slideshow of all the products. Click here to go directly to the BBN page with the ebay links.

THANK YOU to all of the beauty brands who generously donated these products and THANK YOU in advance if you take the time to bid on these auctions to help us raise money for the ACS.

Tags: beauty, ebay, beauty blog network

WHO: face to face nyc day spa & a board certified dermatologist from St Vincent 's Hospital

WHAT: FREE 10 Minute Skin Cancer Screening

WHEN: Monday June 25th, from 5-8pm (By Appointment Only, Call 212-633-0404)

WHERE: 20 West 20th St, Ste 603

WHY: According to the American Cancer Society, skin cancer is the most common form of cancer. With summer here, there is no better time to ensure that you are melanoma free. Don’t forget the sunscreen!

American Legend Award: Ralph Lauren

Menswear Designer of Year Award: Ralph Lauren


Accessory Designer of the Year: Derek Lam

Geoffrey Beene Lifetime Achievement Award: Robert Lee Morris

Eleanor Lambert Award: Patrick Demarchelier

Eugenia Sheppard Award: Robin Givhan

International Award: Pierre Cardin

The Swarovski Award for emerging talent (Womenswear): Phillip Lim

The Swarovski Award for emerging talent (Menswear): David Neville and Marcus Wainwright for Rag and Bone

The Swarovski Award for emerging talent (Accessories): Jessie Randall for Loeffler Randall

Womenswear Designer of the Year: 3 way tie! Oscar de la Renta, Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez

Tags: fashion, CFDA Awards

I am a huge fan of facial masques. There's something about feeling it tighten up your skin; almost like it is just sucking out all of the bad and leaving you with fabulously flawless skin.

So it should be no surprise that I am madly in love with inSpa's Pore Purifying Masque. It is specifically geared towards oily, acne prone and combination skin (which I am all of the above).

This thick grey bentonite clay masque has zinc oxide to absorb oil, sulphur to dry out blemishes and witch hazel to control oil. You only need to leave it on for 10-15 to see such visible results. I could literally see the difference in my skin the first time I used it. My skin felt fabulous and looked radiant. It's now a staple in my skin care routine, as I use it about 2-3 times per week.

If I can see such a turnaround in my skin from just this one product, I can only imagine what their spa services could do for me! inSpa has several spa's located on the West Coast and they have this ingenius "no tipping" policy. How fab is that to not have to worry about tipping each person at the spa?

You can see all of the other fantastic spa products inSpa has to offer online, so that no matter if their spa is local to you or not, you can still benefit from their wonderful products such as the Pore Purifying Masque mentioned in this post. (Seriously--buy it--it is awesome!)

Tags: inSpa, beauty, skin care

As a member of the Beauty Blog Network, I am participating in our cancer fundraiser today through Wednesday in which I donate money to The American Cancer Society for every comment posted on my blog during these days.

There are several other beauty blogs in the networking participating, all with their charity of choice. Please make sure to also check out our ebay auction through Mission Fish to benefit The American Cancer Society full of fabulous beauty products donated by some wonderful companies. Auction begins on June 10th at 12pm PST! If you also feel so inclined, we have products listed through Cafe Press with our Comments 4 A Cure logo on them for you to purchase, with 100% of the profit going to The National Brain Tumor Foundation. On our network page, we also have a ChipIn! button, where you can also make a donation to benefit The American Cancer Society.

For A Girl's Gotta Spa!, I have chosen The American Cancer Society as the charity of my choice because of all of the wonderful things they do for cancer patients, survivors and their families in my area and nationwide.

So please post a comment here (and if in honor of your loved one--please let us know who) and on the participating blogs in the network, place a bid on our ebay auction, check out other members ebay auctions up for grabs and purchase some gear from Cafe Press to show your support of our worthy cause.

Thank you for helping to make our fundraiser a success!
xo