Bus fare roundtrip to NYC $75
Cab fare for constant traveling for 4 days $200
Buying clothing and (gorgeous) Anne Klein shoes to wear to fashion week events $300
Having your husband take two days off so you can be at fashion week $800
Eating 3 meals a day for 4 days $400

Luckily my hotel is free because my fabulous friends are not making me pay--

See NYT--it's not about free product. It's about doing something you are passionate about and enjoy. It's about feeling a connection with your readers and wanting to bring them the inside scoop.

While beauty editors were outted for all the free swag a while ago, you forget to talk about that they mention their love of a product then several pages into the magazine there is a paid advertisement for it. Here, whether I got it for free or not--you get the real deal. If I love it, I say I love it, if I don't, I say I don't.

So no, I'm not a swag whore--if the free stuff all ended today, I'd be fine with it and continue to buy stuff as I normally do. Besides the fact that as you can see from the above, I put out way more money than any amount of freebies coming in--and last time I looked, lipstick isn't accepted as payment for my mortgage.

Bringing an insider's look from Fashion Week to my readers---priceless.

Just a quick note to remind you that I will be at Fashion Week starting Jan. 31st and heading back home Feb. 3rd! Since I have a jam packed schedule, I'm not sure just how quickly I'll be able to get posts up detailing the beauty and fashion events I'll be attending, but rest assured you will hear all about it and I'll have lots of pictures to show you!

Stayed tuned!

I have been so blessed to come to know Doryn of Doryn's Dish over the past few years. She really is the most down to earth person and recently just had a very adorable baby girl--which resulted in her bringing Doryn's Dish back to life after its long hiatus (and we all give a collective "yay!")

Doryn is one of those people who is always in the know. You're looking for the perfect product--she just happens to know what it is. She is chock full of knowledge and recommendations. Here is a brief bio on what you may not know about this fabulous blogger:

Doryn has worked with the behind the scenes design team on the Emmy winning television show Extreme Makeover: Home Edition and with the renowned residential design firm, Cullman & Kravis. In addition to Doryn's Dish she is currently a reviewer on Celebrity Baby Blog and will soon be producing an online radio show. In her free time she has preciously volunteered at Look Good, Feel Better and Dress For Success. She recently finished volunteer training and will be continuing training in the Spring to become a Wish Granter for Make-A-Wish Foundation.

Most recently, while living in London as an Expat for two years, she trained in beauty and fashion make-up at Greasepaint of London. She has also completed courses and training in voiceovers and radio production from The London Academy of Radio, Film and Television. Previously, she earned degrees from New York's Fashion Institute of Technology in interior design and Boston's Simmons College in Sociology and Human Services, where she graduated Magna Cum Laude.

Ahh to be blessed with being gorgeous and a brainiac--I am envious. I think the reason I most relate to Doryn is that she has a love for acquiring knowledge, learning new things and has the ambition to master everything.

See all of Doryn's fabulous recommendations on Doryn's Dish--but don't blame me when you become addicted.

It’s so good it had to be part of the name – MontBleu Resort Casino & Spa. Onsen Spa, an Aveda Lifestyle Salon, uses all organically plant-derived products and world-renowned services, along with a menu of eclectic treatments.

"Our staff is trained in Aveda rituals, and we’re proud to have earned this prestigious partnership," said Ginger Dunn, Onsen manager. Aveda Lifestyle Salon technicians must undergo rigorous training and adhere to policies established by the company.

The name Onsen originates from Japan and means hot springs . Providing a comprehensive experience, Onsen offers facials, 25 to 80 minute massages and a tempting menu of body services. Methods include Deep Tissue massage to target stressed areas with muscle tension; Fusion Stone Therapy, utilizing plants and herbs combined with hot and cold stones to balance and soothe the senses; Elixir Body Wrap, a massage with essential oils and a warm blanket cocoon; and Elemental Nature, personalized aromas paired with massage.

All treatments include a day pass to the spa with grotto-style pool and hot tub, state-of-the-art fitness center, locker rooms with private saunas, whirlpool baths and eucalyptus steam rooms along with forest views just outside. Located away from the casino floor, Onsen’s relaxing atmosphere is on property yet worlds away.

Facials, manicures and pedicures are also offered at Onsen, including the Revitalizing Eye Treatment which diminishes fine lines, puffiness and dark circles; Elemental Nature facial treatment with tailored products to match all skin conditions; and Caribbean Therapy, an exfoliating paste with seaweed masque to smooth hands and feet. Waxing techniques utilize Aveda natural plant wax, essential oils and ingredients to ensure smooth skin.

Men’s and women’s hair care from Up Dos for special occasions and birthdays to simple shampoo and cut are available in the salon. All hair services include a soothing scalp massage. Aveda’s Full Spectrum, damage-free color, is 97% naturally derived and maintains the condition of the hair leaving it looking natural and vibrant.

A full array of services awaits men at Onsen, such as the Sport Facial, which restores moisture to close-shaven faces. The Ultimate Experience begins with a Sport Facial; then a Rosemary Mint Awakening treatment: body exfoliation with aromas and massage; followed with an Executive Manicure: hot towel exfoliation and trimmed, masculine nails.

Couples or friends can relax together with an Elemental Nature or Deep Tissue massage in a private room. Mothers-to-be can also enjoy a massage that focuses on the specific stresses and tensions of pregnancy.

Onsen Spa is open daily from 6 a.m. – 10 p.m. with Salon hours from 9 a.m.–7 p.m. For reservations call 1-866-895-7894 or visit www.montbleuresort.com.

My family knows that well before children--aka BC--I had quite the shoe collection. I love shoes, in fact, I still have the Doc Martens I bought myself on my 21st birthday. Armed with gift cards from Christmas I headed to the mall today to find clothes and the perfect pair of shoes for Fashion Week.

So many shoes looked good, but Heather from MAC Cosmetics advice of "Wear flats!" kept buzzing into my head each time I thought I found the perfect pump.Then I walked into Macy's and I kept being drawn to this gorgeous Anne Klein flat in snake skin. I didn't really care that it's probably not going to match the rest of my clothes this week--I just had to have it! It's more than I've paid lately for shoes, because we are on such a budget, but I think it's worth treating yourself every once in a while.

If you are looking where to buy these gorgeous AK Anne Klein Impress Taupe Snake Skin flats, going the route of brick and mortar you'll find them at Macy's, but for some reason they can't be found on their website, but I found them on Piperlime for $79.

My feet will be comfortable and stylish! I think I'm going to sleep with these shoes next to my pillow tonight. I *love* them!

Find more Flats from Anne Klein.

Wow, who knew I was loved!? The newest addition to blog awards called "The Fabbies" have let me know that I have been nominated in the Beauty category. Let me tell you--I am among some pretty fabulous bloggers in that category and I am so humbled!

The awards ceremony happens on January 31st when I am in NYC--so I would be so excited if I actually won AND got to give an acceptance speech! ;)

If you love A Girl's Gotta Spa can you please vote for me? I believe voting ends on January 30th so there is not much time left! And if you have a blog and want to help spread the word--by all means I would so love that--I need all the votes I can get!

As you all know, I am pretty passionate about exfoliating. Some would think it's silly, but once I realized that it is the most often forgot about part of beautiful, soft, blemish and flake-free skin, I've been on a mission to make sure everyone incorporates it into their beauty routine!

Nettie Davis, a celebrity manicurist in LA, sent me some of her "Nettie Scrub" for me to try out. We all know celebs need to look good at all times or they are prime beef for TMZ and X17. So if Nettie's celebrity client's love it, I knew I wanted to try it out!

My Nettie Scrub came in grapefruit, which smells exactly like a freshly sliced open ripened grapefruit--yummo. When you open your Nettie Scrub you'll notice that the sugar is on the bottom and the oils have made their way to the top. Just use a small scooper to mix it around and you'll be good to go. As you smooth it out over your skin, you'll notice as it buffs away the dead skin the sugar completely dissolves. I found this interesting since most other sugar scrubs I have used don't dissolve. It's almost as if Nettie Scrub has a built in safeguard to make sure you don't overdo it.

As the sugar polishes your skin, the oils moisturize it. Nettie Scrub is all natural with ingredients such as grapefruit seed extract, pure alpha hydroxyl acids from sugar and grape seed oil. I didn't just use Nettie Scrub on my hands, I used it on my legs, arms and elbows too.

It's a great treat for your skin and at $8.99 for a 4oz. jar you'll wonder how you lived without it.

Many thanks to the following advertiser who has chosen to rent some space on A Girl's Gotta Spa:

Lahens Viarr: Rooted as a family business, Lahens Viarr strives to deliver a wide and growing assortment of high quality products. All of their products are Made in the USA. Free shipping on any size order is a standard within the US anytime of the year (See shipping for details).

Later on this year they plan on introducing more colors for their lipstick, foundation & eyeshadow selections, body butter - butter cream scented, and bodywashes for both men and women.

I love bringing you the blogger spotlight each week so you can learn new and interesting things about my fellow beauty bloggers.

Toya Smith Marshall is a wife to her beloved husband, Victor, and a mother to her most breathtaking daughter, Sarai. At a young age, she fell in love with make-up, but it wasn't until her adult years, at the encouragement of her cousin, that she decided to truly study makeup artistry and make it a business. Toya graduated from the Von Lee International School of Aesthetics and became a freelance make-up artist, opening her own company, Makeda Make-Up Artistry. She enjoys all facets of the beauty business, but her first love lies in giving a woman simple tips that she can use to make herself feel and look her most beautiful. Toya's motto is "Own your beauty!" because she believes each woman is beautiful and should recognize and relish what makes her unique.

Besides being a makeup artist, Toya is a professional belly dancer and has just begun teaching a beginner belly dance class. Toya specializes in tribal fusion belly dance, which combines more traditional belly dance moves with some hip-hop and jazz-inspired movements, and a little bit of Toya's own special sass. She also has been trained in more traditional styles like Egyptian and Lebanese raqs sharqi. She is a member of The Niraja Dance Company, a nationally known troupe of Middle Eastern Dancers under the direction of Lotus Niraja. Toya performs under the name Makeda Maysá - Makeda meaning "beautiful" and Maysá meaning "walks with a proud and swinging gait."

Toya began her blog, "The Life of A Ladybug" as a personal blog, one that would allow her friends and anyone else who happened along, to know what was going on in her life at any moment and read what she felt about whatever topic happened to be on her mind. Eventually, as Toya became more and more immersed in the beauty business, "The Life of A Ladybug" became a full-fledged beauty blog, wherein Toya offers product reviews, industry news, and tips and tricks on how to maximize one's own beauty, using makeup and fashion. Now that her original blog is a beauty blog, she's created another blog, "Makeda" for her friends and readers who are just interested in what she has to say about belly dance, womanhood, African American issues, and life in general.

Musician and actress, Ava Gaudet, is gorgeous AND talented--wouldn't you agree? Born and raised in Providence, Rhode Island, she is the daughter of a jazz musician/composer and an actress. I'd say it was in the stars that she would become a performer too.

She began dancing at age three and continued diligent and dedicated study of ballet, tap, jazz, theater dance and hip-hop until adulthood. As a teenager she began acting in local theaters and was a lead actress in her high school’s musicals. While enrolled at the prestigious Berklee College of Music in Boston, she wrote and released her first EP, "Supergirl" and performed with her band throughout Providence, Boston and New York garnering local notoriety and regional attention.

After Graduation she moved back to New York to hit the industry on all fronts. She released her second EP of original music, and paid the bills by singing in upscale event bands. She then landed the role of "Maureen" in the National Tour of RENT. Soon after the tour closed she made her Broadway debut when she took over the role of Maureen in the Broadway company of RENT, and became the first actress in the show’s history to be a permanent principal actress and also understudy the role of Mimi.She recently had a recurring role on ABC’s UGLY BETTY as Betty’s trouble-making neighbor Gina Gambarro and has two films being released in 2008; HURT and EVIL ANGEL. Thankfully she is also the wife of my high school friend Rob Gaudet, owner of First Degree Productions and happily answered my beauty questions.

When you were finally allowed to wear makeup, what was the first product you purchased?

I’m pretty sure the first makeup I ever bought myself was a 99 cent black eyeliner, probably wet & wild. I started wearing makeup in my day-to-day life when I was a freshman in high school, and I pretty much only wore a little eyeliner, and maybe some lip liner and chapstick!! I was used to wearing makeup to perform and was applying my own stage makeup for dance recitals at a VERY early age. The makeup I wore to perform was always so exaggerated and over-the-top (bright red lipstick, blush, eye shadow, false lashes, etc.) I always kept my "real-life" makeup simple and clean.

If you looked in your handbag right now, which product do you have the most of?

I have lots of lip glosses…different colors, flavors, some that plump, some that sparkle…you can’t really go wrong with lip gloss.

What is the one beauty product you hands down cannot live without?

I absolutely LOVE the Maybelline Lash Stylist mascara. It’s the best mascara I’ve ever tried. The comb applicator makes your lashes SO long, they almost look fake! I even made the makeup artist on the last film I worked on get some especially for me!

Lastly, please give my readers your best beauty secret.

To me, the most beautiful people ore the ones who seem happy, healthy and confident. I think the best beauty secret is to do things that make you happy, live a healthy lifestyle and believe in your own beauty!

You can learn more about Ava Gaudet by visiting her at www.avagaudet.com and on Ava's MySpace profile.

*Copyright A Girl's Gotta Spa! Permission is needed to repost.

Tags: ava gaudet, celebrity beauty, ugly betty

This Valentine’s Day, Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa – the leading hotel-casino destination on the East Coast – is pulling out all the stops to pamper guests with two decadent spa packages.

Whether single or attached, spa-goers will relish the chance to relax and rejuvenate with one of two experiences:

For one day only, the "Love x Love" Package will allow couples to experience the ultimate romantic escape in Spa Toccare's gorgeous Couples Suite, complete with hydrotherapy Jacuzzi, full shower, and separate lounge area with fireplace and plasma television. For $1,414, the package includes –

· 80 minute Swedish Massage with chocolate-scented lotion
· 30 minutes of private relaxation time
· His and hers Luxe Manicures and Pedicures
· A fruit and cheese tray complete with chocolate covered strawberries and champagne, served by a private butler

For the month of February, singles can pamper themselves with Borgata's "Amour For You Package." Starting at $225, the package includes –

For Ladies:

· Cafe Latte Body Scrub
· Luxe Manicure and gift from Epicuren
· Cocktails at Gypsy Bar including the signature "Amour-ita" cocktail

For Men:

· Cafe Latte Body Scrub
· Hot Towel Treatment with sports manicure and gift from Epicuren
· Cocktails at Gypsy Bar including the signature "Amour-ita" cocktail

For reservations, call 1-866-MYBORGATA or visit www.theborgata.com

* Photo Credit: Spa Beautifully

I've come across a very cool new company called Pattern. Pattern makes body washes that are:

Free of synthetic fragrances, colors and dyes.
Free of parabens, phthalates, TEA and DEA.
100% Vegan
All Natural

Pattern has 4 scented body washes that can be used equally on your body, face and hair. The 4 scents are Black Pepper, Citrus, Cucumber and Eucalyptus. For the purposes of this review, I only used Pattern for my body.

To pick a scent that is my favorite would be hard to do, they are all equally refreshing and unique. I was actually most intrigued by Black Pepper. I can't say I have come across any body wash in this scent to date. The Black Pepper scent will open your nasal passages and awaken your senses. It has a strong black pepper fragrance--yet the scent is toned down with plant extracts to make it softer, but without losing its identity. I really liked using it on days I just didn't feel like getting out of bed but knew I had no choice.

Despite Pattern's body washes not having sodium laurel sulfate, they did produce a good amount of bubbles. I love bubbles, so I was happy to be able to have this little luxury. Each of the body washes left my skin soft and clean.

Each 8oz. bottle is $20. Pattern also offers a full size trial kit, where you can get all four 8oz washes for only $60.

I love their tag line--Think. Wash. Repeat. www.patternbodywash.com

I can relate to Cindy Bokma in many ways. We both had big dreams when we were younger that were dashed by another's skepticism of our abilities. Cindy grew up in small town New Jersey where everyone knew everyone else. She went to school with the same group of kids from first grade until high school graduation. She hated it because she was teased so much and used to cry- which made the kids tease her more. She dreamed of living somewhere great and being fabulous and successful. She thought maybe she would end up in New York City, which was only a few miles away, but she also harbored dreams of living in sunny, glamorous Southern California. The movie industry was calling her and she thought she would be a screenwriter, artist or a fashion designer.

She loved art and fashion design and creative writing. She spent many hours in her bedroom with her pens and pencils, drawing and creating fashions especially for her favorite TV stars like Denise Huxtable and the twins from Double Trouble. Had her guidance counselor not said, "Fashion design? That's too tough. How about secretarial school?" who knows what she would be doing now.

As with all things in life, fate always comes into play. Cindy now lives in Southern California with her husband, dogs and two children and has published a novel, "A Thousand Dollars for a Kiss." She also has the sequel written and is currently taking a a screen writing class and preparing for her first script about five preteen best friends.

Cindy writes the super fabulous beauty blog, Hello Dollface. It's vintage Marilyn Monroe images will remind of you classic, sophisticated glamour. It's beauty reviews are completely relatable.

Cindy also writes Conversations With Famous Authors, a tribute to her love for books being turned into films.

I think there is a little of Cindy in all of us. Isn't it good to know we all turn out so well?

Want to know a secret?

I absolutely love discovering an indie brand that has an awesome product that I know one day will be a household name. Skin Like Butter is one of those brands. Presently selling online and at a farmer's market in California, one day this brand will be seen in the magazines, on TV, heck- dare I say Sephora? Just remember that you heard it here first.

Skin Like Butter's amazing Shea Oil Lotion is deeply hydrating while light in texture. I have the scent "Fresh Laundry" which is that fresh off the clothesline fragrance. Crisp and breezy air, Fresh Laundry is such a clean scent.

Among the Shea Oil Lotion's all natural ingredients are shea butter, shea oil, avocado oil and jojoba oil. Despite the milieu of oils, this lotion is not at all greasy. In fact, it is pretty thick in consistency yet smoothes out evenly with a light feel to it. It makes your skin incredibly soft. In fact, my husband even told me, "Wow your skin is so soft." And I asked, "Like butter?"

Skin Like Butter's Shea Oil Lotion is a steal at $10 for an 8oz. bottle. Mention you read the review on A Girl's Gotta Spa at check out and you'll get 10% rebate (Via paypal or money order): www.skinlikebutter.com

Its benefits have been known for over 100 years and are, in fact, the very reason a resort town sprung up in French Lick, Ind. Now, the world-famous Pluto water is in the limelight, once, again, as The Spa at French Lick develops treatments and products to take advantage of the natural wellness powers of the local water.

This shift to wellness-type treatments is an inspiration from the past. During the first half of the twentieth century, droves of people – including politicians, actors, socialites and mobsters – flocked to French Lick for its waters, which were thought to cure every malady from arthritis to malaria.

Today, the spa is expanding beyond the traditional soaking tub treatment to offer clients a chance to experience the full benefits of the natural wonder. The spa is teaming with Malibu Wellness to develop a line of Pluto water products to compliment the menu of spa services. Products in development include facial, body and foot scrubs as well as sea clay.

In addition to the traditional tub treatments, the spa is developing new services such as therapeutic foot soaks, mineral mud wraps and salt glow rubs.

With high concentrations of magnesium, sodium and potassium, the Pluto water is enriched with over 20 different minerals. Soaking mineral baths, available in the spa, offer many benefits, including stimulation of circulation, cell hydration and increased moisture retention. In addition, medical research shows soaking in the water detoxifies and eases muscle and joint tension to induce relaxation.

For those looking for the same luxury at home, the spa offers take-home Pluto Bath treatments. The distilled minerals are currently available in a 32 oz. souvenir bottle and sold for $29.95.The minerals will also be available in an easy-to-carry muslin bag, making the recommended treatment of three times per week for six weeks very affordable. As with all of the treatments, both in the spa and at home, an after-bath vitamin gel is included and is to be applied to the body afterwards to remove any residual minerals.

For more information on the new services and products at The Spa at French Lick, as well as information about French Lick Resort Casino, visit www.frenchlick.com or call 1-888-MyHideaway.

This month the Beauty Blog Network has launched it's newly minted online monthly magazine, The Beauty Ideal. Every month, a beauty blogger from the network is chosen to be the Featured Beauty Editor and she picks fellow bloggers from the group to be on her team to conceive that month's topic and articles. Elke is Editor in Chief and finalizes and puts everything together.

You'll find reviews, trend forecasts and articles you can relate to no matter what season of life you are in. I'm pretty biased since I am in the group--I think we have a talented bunch of bloggers (almost 100 of us!) and I know you will love The Beauty Ideal.

Besides--I wrote the featured article this month: "A New Chance At A New You." (Thanks Christina for having faith in me!)

This just in from WWD! Isaac Mizrahi was just named Creative Director of Liz Claiborne's Women's Apparel!!!

According to WWD he will be responsible for brand design and marketing functions for women's apparel, accessories and licensing.

Congratulations Isaac! If anyone can save the brand--you can!

I don't know about you, but winter sure loves to play tricks with my skin. Certain points of my face will be dry and flaky, while other points seem to be in sebum overdrive. MAC Cosmetics Moisturelush is a thick rich cream for your face and eyes that will hydrate your thirsty skin without overdoing it in the areas that don't really need it.

I've been using both the face cream and eye cream for a week now. The eye cream is definitely rich in texture while the face cream is more, well, creamy. I typically wouldn't put such a heavy cream on my face for day wear, however I found that it quickly absorbs without leaving my skin feeling like it is wearing a night cream. It's also grease-less, which is a big plus for me.

My skin feels noticeably softer and it's appearance looks better hydrated. Have you tried Moisturelush? www.maccosmetics.com

On January 10th 2006 I had a miscarriage at 12 weeks. The event was so traumatic that I have blocked it out of my mind for this day on the calendar...but think about it every day leading up to and every day after January 10th. My readers who have been here for a long while will remember my pain not just from my loss, but that the dr. and nurses had left (rather forgot!) the baby in a clear plastic cup in plain view of me on the counter next to my head.

While there wasn't much to see, I did see a little face and overhearing the dr. telling the nurse, "Here comes the foot," as I miscarried on that ER table is etched into my memory forever.

I wouldn't have thought about how old this child would have been, had it not been for a baby brand sending me one of those..."Your baby is 18 months!" mailings. The baby indeed would've been 18 months old this month.

But with this great sadness, today on January 14th, I can smile because the joy that came to me May 14th 2007 turned 8 months old today.

He is so beautiful.

February 1st is National Wear Red Day; a day when matters of the heart don't involve chocolates and flowers, but one of bringing about awareness of heart disease in women.

As a heart survivor herself, Gail Schneider has designed a customized t-shirt for the Go Red For Women campaign with 25% of the proceeds going to the American Heart Association-Go Red For Women.

While I don't have the HEART t-shirt, I do have another one of Gail's tops and I think it's fabulous!

Gail Schneider HEART Tops are currently $59: www.gailschneiderdesigns.com

Straight from the fashion guru's mouth--Isaac Mizrahi will have a new website that will be about his new show: Watch Isaac. On February 1st the show makes it's debut and seriously you guys--you have to watch the 5 videos he has up on the website right now!

Here's the summary of what you can expect from his new show:

1. He will tell you how to get a husband
2. He will make your ass look smaller
3. He will tell you how to make more money
4. He loves pantyhose but not the nude kind because he thinks of them as "Bologna legs"
5. He'll interview celebrities to get them to talk about what they wouldn't necessarily talk about on TV (hmm seems reminiscent of the red carpet when he was grabbing some celebrity boob and getting them to talk about it.)

The short videos were so funny I was laughing out loud and even spit my drink out.

So go check it out and be sure to start watching on Feb. 1st! www.WatchIsaac.com

(and how do I know this? Because he emailed me people! I have the brown paper bag out for the hyperventilation! I know!)

Want your chance to review a product? Better yet, do you want your review to be posted here? Skin MD thought it was a good idea too and would like to give a few readers the chance to try a full size bottle of Skin MD Natural. If you live in the US, have dry skin, eczema, psoriasis, or just want to protect your skin--you have to be willing to submit to me (via email) a short note on how it is working once a week for a month for this field study. This skincare challenge is open to both men and women. If you have skincare issues, a photo journal would be great as well (however it is completely optional). Then each week I will be putting your review up on A Girl's Gotta Spa.*

Interested? Then submit to me:

Your full name
Mailing Address
Any skincare issues you may have (even if it is just dry skin or wanting to protect your skin)

To: contest at agirlsgottaspa dot com

Please only enter this challenge if you are willing to meet the terms of it as there are a select few that will receive Skin MD. In other words--don't pull a Hannah Montana on me. :/ This is on a first come first serve basis so be sure to act fast!

I look forward to working with you on the Skin MD Natural Skincare Challenge!

*Results will also be sent to Skin MD Natural.

Here is an amazing story that I am so thrilled to be part of. Hillary (from Solessence) had let me know that she was starting a charity called The Hummingbird Project a while back. It is a foundation to raise money for an orphanage in South Africa that Hillary helped build way back when she was 17 (I won't tell you how old she is now or she'd kill me!)

I gave it a write up on Beauty Pro...and then a month or two later Hillary called me to ask if I knew a makeup artist with a brush set. It just so happened that a few weeks earlier is when Billy B and I connected over the launch of his Paintbrushes (aka makeup brushes). I told her that I did know someone and told her who. Within a week I was on the phone with Billy explaining this project to him--and it just so happen he had been to South Africa with Beyonce and was very familiar with the plight of the orphanages there.

At 11:30 at night I was on the phone with Billy while emailing with Hillary back and forth. And now--the gift set you see on Solessence for The Hummingbird Project is a direct result of that. I'm honestly so proud and so excited that I was able to help put two people together that in the end, will benefit a lot of children in need.

So won't you go over to Solessence's website and check out the Skin Care set for The Hummingbird Project? As part of the set you get an autographed foundation brush from Billy's Paintbrush collection.

Much love to Hillary and Billy--I was so happy to have a small role in this!

Teri Cosenzi is the founder, editor-in-chief, and main beauty writer for Beautiful Makeup Search. A self-proclaimed beauty expert, Teri started Beautiful Makeup Search in the year 2000 when she was tired of buying unnecessary beauty products from pushy salespeople that she ultimately never used. This prompted her to search herself for what works and what doesn't, and brings this information to readers on a daily basis.

Teri enjoys being able to test beauty products before the general public,
and feels privileged to do it all from her home office, as she is quite the busy Mom to four children. Teri regularly attends special beauty editor events in New York City, right along side well-known beauty editors from the world's leading beauty and fashion magazines. Teri is also a member of CEW – Cosmetic Executive Women, The Beauty Blog Network, as well as the managing editor of Splendicity. Teri also writes Aging Fabulous and CelebLOOK for b5media.

I got to meet Teri when I went to New York Fashion Week last September and will be rooming with her when I go again this February! Teri is awesome and you would be remiss to not check out her blogs!

My fabulous friend Barb reminded me today about my Christmas shopping trip when I was in search of an item that my mom wanted for Christmas. I was basically in tears, hysterically laughing as I ran down the description to see if she could guess what I was describing. I don't think two people ever laughed so hard. Thank goodness for waterproof mascara!

I'm going to give you the run down of the phone call with my mom and I'd love for you to guess what I am describing:

Me: Mom, what do you want for Christmas?

My mom: I want "X" but I like it to have certain things.

Me: What do you mean? How can "X" have certain things?

My mom: Well I like flared sleeves.

Me: Flared sleeves? For "X"? Ok...

My mom: I'd like it to be A-line, but if it's not I need a bigger size.

Me (laughing): Ok wait, I need to write this down. Who knew that "X" would have specifications mom?

My mom: And a peter pan collar.

Me: A what?

My mom: A peter pan collar. I really like flounce too.

Me: Mom, now you are getting ridiculous! What the heck is flounce!?

My mom: It's at the bottom of "X." I like flounce at the bottom, about an inch or two of flounce.

Me: Ok, I guess we'll see if I can find what you're looking for.

And let me tell you, I had to call my mom from my cell phone in the middle of Sears Women's department because I had no clue what a peter pan collar looked like and I couldn't find this particular item with flared sleeves. Barb and I were laughing so hard that people were staring. And don't you know that when my mom opened her gift on Christmas, she informed me that there wasn't enough flounce. Damn the flounce! haha.

So can you guess what it is my mother was describing?

Local Pennsylvania bath & body company, Wylde Ivy, caught my attention about a year ago. It wasn't until I saw Ashlee's company newsletter a few months back announcing that she was pregnant with twins that I finally decided to scoop up some of her products to review. Now I am kicking myself for waiting so long as I sit here with skin as soft as cashmere.

The main ingredient in Wydle Ivy's products is Olive Oil, which most know is a fabulous emollient for the skin. The only time something fatty is good for you (and not feel guilty about it) is in Olive Oil based products. Wylde Ivy's All Olive Lotion is just what your dry skin needs with its rich, creamy texture of olive butter and olive extract. I'm using their Blackberry Cotton Candy scent and honestly--OMG. What a sweet true to life fragrance. At different points you can smell a fresh, ripe blackberry followed by sticky sweet, sugary cotton candy. Yum.

Not only does their All Olive Lotion smell fantastic, but the lotion literally glided over my skin, quickly absorbed and left my skin feeling so supple and soft.

Wylde Ivy's All Olive Lotion is $7.50 for a 4oz. tube at www.wyldeivy.com

Happy birthday to my mom! I'm sure she will love the lyrics to Homemade Band's song.

Disclaimer: Homemade Band apologizes for the lack of actual music in their video, they were trying very hard to remember lyrics while playing a tune. Their manager was a little exhausted after about 20 takes. Also Homemade Band is well aware of the poor video quality, however these struggling artists can only bring you their top notch cuteness from a digital camera until they receive endorsements and move up to a real video camera.

The worst thing about ultra cold weather (it has been -9 here!) besides super dry skin, is chapped lips. No amount of lip gloss or lipstick can hide it and it can be painful if you don't do something about it. I came across these ultra cute lip balms called Pin Up Balms and for only $4 a tin, it's something you definitely should scoop up.


Pin Up Balms come in a variety of delicious flavors including:
Lemonade
Come Hither Coconut
Raspberry Rapture
Vanilla
Grape Soda
Mocha Locha Chocolata
Citrus Punch

They are all natural lip balms in a slide tin with retro pin ups on the label. Adorable and soothing! I have Raspberry Rapture, which smells like fresh raspberries and will make you want to lick your lips (but don't!) While it may not make you a pin up yourself (sorry!), it will give you totally glamorous lips and with its glamorous tin, people will have you pegged as the fashionista that is totally in the know and ahead of the crowd. Who doesn't want that?

Available at Amazon.com for $4

While I am not a wine drinker, I love the smell of wine and Appellation's grapeseed antioxidant skincare line will make you want to break out the caviar and brie. Grapeseed, known for it's amazingly powerful antioxidant properties, has increasingly become popular in skincare/bath & body products.

Appellation Grapeseed Face & Body Wash: The luscious scent of a full bodied wine will fill your shower as you feed your skin with the best in skincare. The Face & Body Wash is a very clean rinsing gel, but don't expect many bubbles, as there is no sodium lauryl sulfate in the ingredients.

Appellation Grapeseed Scrub: This facial scrub contains willowbark and microfine polyethylene beads to gently exfoliate your skin while keeping it healthy with ProVitamin b5 and grapeseed extracts. I used the scrub on both my face and body and it was equally effective for both.

Appellation Grapeseed Face & Body Moisturizer: This is a thin textured, non-greasy moisturizer. While the website says it can be used on both face and body, for this review I only used it on my body. The scent didn't last too long, but I felt like I was right there in Napa Valley as I smoothed it over my skin.

I also received the Muscle Soak, Hand Wash and Massage Oil, but haven't had the opportunity to test them out. I'll be saving them for a future review (so stay tuned!)

You can find Appellation products at www.appellation.cc (yes that is cc and not com)

If you've used these products, share your thoughts on them in the comments.

Can you believe I have been blogging since 2005 and have yet to win a blog award? So I decided to try to change that by nominating A Girl's Gotta Spa for a Blogger's Choice Award, a Weblog Award and a Performancing Blog Award.

If you wouldn't mind, could you vote for me? It won't bring me wealth or riches--but it will help other people discover my blog and that would make me very happy. :)

Blogger's Choice--Vote here
Weblog Award--Nominate here (deadline is the Jan. 11th!)
Performancing Blog Award--Nominate here

In love. Who knew a girl could love a hair dryer so much? Conair did. Obviously.

With all of these products I receive for review, you would be surprised to know that I am pretty brand loyal when it comes to personal use. Conair happens to be one of those products I am loyal to. I literally have the Conair Euro 1600 in my bathroom cabinet. I have had this same hair dryer for years and years! My gosh, I honestly want to say 10 years! Isn't that crazy?

That hair dryer has seen its days of my varying hair cuts and styles, but ever since the Infiniti Nano Silver stepped into my life, the Euro 1600 has been collecting dust. The Conair Infiniti comes with 3 attachments: A straightening pic, concentrator and diffuser. What I love about these attachments is that the concentrator and diffuser snap onto the hair dryer so that they don't slide off once they are hot, as which is the case with my Euro 1600. The strightening pic only slides on, making it a little tricky to comb through your hair with it as you are drying, however, it is coated to help decrease the frizz in your hair when you use it, so that makes up for it.

My favorite of the 3 is the concentrator. You saw how long my hair is in the review of the hair straightener--I dried my hair in less than 5 minutes using the concentrator. Seriously! And I don't mean my ends were damp--my hair was completely dry root to tip! Not only that, but my hair was less frizzy, as well.

The only downside to the Conair Infiniti Nano Hair Dryer is that it is a little heavy. My Euro 1600 was smaller in size and not as weighty. Again, it is a small con when I look at how fabulous my hair turns out and the drying time.

I promise you--you'll use this product and won't ever look back!
Available at drugstore.com for $49.99.

I am such a slacker. It's already 2008 and I forgot to post my favorite things from 2007.

2007 was quite a year. Amazing things have happened to me career-wise and we added a new little addition to our family (it's hard to believe he is already 8 months old!!!) I had surgery and got a promotion and I finally made it to Fashion Week. I also became friends with some pretty amazing people--the ever-fabulous Billy B., the utterly talented Syd Curry, my psychic sister Hillary, owner of Solessence, and really got to know the lovely Cheri from Urban Apothecary.

Below are my top 10 favorite beauty products from 2007. Be sure to stop by Makeup Minute to see my top ten favorite makeup products!

1. Alterna Caviar Shampoo & Conditioner
2. inSpa Pore Purifying Masque
3. Elemis Skin Nourishing Milk Bath
4. SuperMoist Body Moisturizer
5. KLEAN Bath & Body
6. Artemis Woman Heel Smoother Pro & Topaz Butter
7. Solessence Creamed Sugar & Coconut Milk Scrub
8. Fraiche Bath Swizzle
9. Conair Infiniti Nano Silver Ceramic Hair Straightener
10. Baby Quasar LED Light Therapy

I honestly probably could've listed at least 5 more!

One fashion item I love is The Body Wrap (fabulous product!)

What were your favorite beauty products from 2007?

Beauty & Fashion Tech has a very unique voice, not only for Carleen's knowledge of beauty products, but more so because of her background. What's interesting about being in The Beauty Blog Network, is coming to know your fellow beauty bloggers really well. Would you believe that Carleen used to work at the Nebraska Supreme Court? Or that she used to teach at UNL Law School? Her current day job is as an Illinois attorney--it amazes me that she has time to write her blog, but she does it so well and with passion.

Carleen also writes reviews that resonates with her readers. You won't find her saying a product works when it doesn't and she is always on top of the latest trends and products of the time. Beauty & Fashion Tech is a year old this month and Carleen has done an amazing job contributing to the beauty blogosphere.

Also be sure to check out her newly minted blog, Girl Gloss. It appears Carleen has the same lip gloss addiction I suffer from as well.

Other places to find Carleen:
Carleen on MySpace
Carleen on The Beauty Network (BBN's Ning site)
The Beauty Blog Network
Splendicity