Celebrity Beauty - A Girl's Gotta Spa! (sm) Top beauty blog, spa, hair care, makeup, beauty trends, skin care | A Girl's Gotta Spa! (sm) Top beauty blog, spa, hair care, makeup, beauty trends, skin care

DIY Spa Tips From Turnberry Isle Miami

Wishing for a spa getaway? To feel royally pampered in preparation for the summer months, therapists at the legendary Turnberry Isle Miami and its Forbes-rated Four Star Spa & Fitness Center suggest these at-home treatments using natural ingredients for those times when you can't make it into the spa: Mommy-to-Be Read more

NightCare Heel Treatment Kit Review

If you are a gal who tries to extend the life of a pedicure as long as possible, then you probably know the first thing that usually needs attention in between pedicures are your heels. I mean really, who has time to get pedicures weekly or even every Read more

Sun Bum Continuous Spray Sunscreen Review

With May being Skin Cancer/Melanoma Awareness month, now seems like the perfect time if any to talk sunscreen! As you may have read earlier this month, I was diagnosed with Melanoma just a couple of years ago. Life after Melanoma requires a lot more preparation when spending time Read more

Suave Moroccan Argan Styling Oil Review

Moroccan Oil is all the rage for the benefits of argan oil on both skin and hair. Suave's Moroccan Infusion line of hair care products aim to deliver incredible shine, softness and conditioning to your hair. I had the opportunity to try the new Moroccan Argan Styling Oil from Read more

EnvyDerm Lip Volumizing and Conditioning Plumper

As I get older I notice the collagen making a prompt exit from my lips leaving them looking lifeless and thin. The best way to combat thinning lips (or if you have thin lips to begin with) is to keep them hydrated and to use a lip plumper. When Read more
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Celebrity Master Colorist Jason Backe Hair Coloring Tips



As an avid hair coloring fiend, I was nervous upon hearing January Jones revelation that her hair is falling out in clumps. Since I literally just colored my hair over the weekend, I decided I needed some expert advice from my friend and celebrity Master Colorist, Jason Backe of Ted Gibson Salon. He’s also the Celebrity Colorist for L’Oreal Professionnel, so he definitely knows color!

Q: January Jones revealed that her hair is falling out in clumps from all of the hair coloring she has done in the past year. Is what is happening to her normal and something that others who color their hair should worry about?

Jason: The question in whether or not the hair is falling out at the scalp OR breaking off in clumps. If the hair is falling out at the scalp I would seriously doubt it is product related. In my entire career I have never experienced hair color to cause bald spots at the scalp (and believe me, I have women who color their hair from brown to blond every 12 days). I have however seen bald spots appear because of diet or stress related issues and although I wouldn’t consider this common, it is not unusual. If the hair is breaking off in clumps then it is most likely a hair integrity issue. Excessive coloring can lead to damage and ultimately breakage – no matter how expertly talented the colorist. If you are a girl who loves to change your color frequently, look for the signs of extremely dry, brittle and breaking hair. This will let you know to pump your breaks and run to the salon for weekly treatments (I am obsessed with the Fiberceutic treatment by L’Oreal Professionnel – it REBUILDS the hair from the inside out – MAJOR) to restore health and integrity before your next color.

Q: How often should women go between colorings?  Read more

Posted on January 28, 2013 by Shannon Nelson in beauty, Celebrity Beauty, Hair Care Leave a comment

Do You Want To Smell Like Your Boyfriend?

Now you can take your Boyfriend wherever you go.

For the past year or so, I have been in a fragrance crisis. Despite how many times I searched through Sephora, Ulta, or my local department stores, I just couldn’t seem to find a scent that fits my personality.

The light, sweet notes found in my once-loved perfumes smelled a bit too young for me, but I didn’t want to lose the femininity that those fragrances embodied. There’s something indescribably feminine – even seductive – about amber and vanilla scents.

That being said, I  also love the woody, musky, and even citrusy notes that are present in most men’s colognes – I’ve actually been spraying Aqua Di Gio around my room as an air freshener lately. As you can imagine, I was totally floored to come across Boyfriend by Kate Walsh, a mens-inspired fragrance that had musky, woodsy notes while still keeping a very distinct level of femininity.

Kate Walsh missed the scent of her boyfriend on her skin (don’t we all love that smell?) and set out to create a fragrance that was mens-inspired but totally feminine. Walsh hit the mark – there is a distinctly masculine edge to the fragrance, but it is warm, comforting, and manages remains quite delicate and girly.

While this scent isn’t for everybody, it is my complete dream come true. Buy 1.6oz of Boyfriend at Sephora for $65.00 (and free shipping!)

*Disclosure: A small sampler was sent by the PR firm to review this product.

Posted on December 16, 2011 by Amanda Huggins in beauty, Celebrity Beauty, perfume 1 Comment

In The Chair Web Series Premiere with TheSalonGuy

On Monday, November 21st I attended the red carpet premier of the reality makeover web series, “In The Chair”. This new docu-series highlights women who have not had the privilege of experiencing a full spa experience for a variety of reasons, ranging from negative makeover experiences in the past to heartfelt stories of personal tragedy.

Show host Stephen Marinaro (better known as TheSalonGuy) treats each woman  to a head-to-toe makeover at award-winning spas and salons in New York and New Jersey, showing both clients and viewers at home the caliber of quality we should all expect from our salons.

Live Performances prior to the episode launch.

The event on Monday was packed. Both women and men came out to socialize as they enjoyed live performances, food, and support the show’s launch…but I don’t think many expected the impact this premier episode would have.  When the episode aired, I was blown away by the courage of Donna, recipient of TheSalonGuy’s  first makeover treatment and survivor of horrific domestic abuse.

Donna, a beautiful, soft-spoken woman spoke candidly about her abusive, tumultuous marriage – her husband suffered from various mental illnesses and she was constantly at the mercy of his outbursts. She was denied a social life, and each visit to a salon for a haircut or treatment ignited her then-husband’s jealous rage, and the abuse would begin. The abuse and outbursts escalated, and Donna finally gathered the courage to walk away after being shot in the face – the bullet was lodged in her eardrum and blew out her eye.

It was incredible to hear someone speak so openly about her past, and there seems to be no one more deserving of TheSalonGuy’s royalty treatment than Donna.  She  and her daughter were taken to Vito Mazza Salon in Woodbridge, NJ (a place I have frequented myself in the past) and given a full spa experience, complete with massage and hair treatment. The audience gathered anxiously around the screens, waiting for the premier. This was the first time Donna had been pampered in far too long, and her joy –undoubtedly paired with a hint of nervousness — was impossible to ignore.

After the episode ended, the event concluded with Donna walking onstage in front of our audience to roars and applause.

It’s refreshing to find a show that focuses on inner beauty just as much as (if not more than) outward appearances. Words alone cannot do the episode of “In The Chair” justice.

Watch the premiere episode of the online reality show on Youtube here.

Posted on November 25, 2011 by Amanda Huggins in beauty, Celebrity Beauty, salon Leave a comment

Hairspray Review: Sojourn Firm Hold Working Spray

When it comes to my hair, I pretty much tend to limit the amount of products I introduce it to, sticking mainly to shampoo, conditioners, deep condition treatments and a shine product for when I want to blow dry.  I avoid most other products such as hairspray, gels, styling creams, etc. because I have not had very good experiences with them.  Maybe it’s because I have very textured hair, but most styling products have  left my hair feeling dry and brittle.  As great as my avoidance of most styling products have been on my hair as well as my wallet, sometimes I would like the amazing hairstyles that my very talented hairstylist boyfriend creates to last for more than an hour in the Miami heat…which is only possible with the aid of  styling products of course.

As a working model whose had my hair teased, curled, crimped and manipulated in every way possible, as well as living with a hairstylist, I’ve gained valuable knowledge about what products and brands of products work for my hair type and which I should avoid at all costs…the list of what I trust and what works is pretty short, hence I’m always hesitant about deviating from my “trusted list”.  So it was with a bit of trepidation (yes trepidation…I know it’s just hair but unhealthy hair for me could mean I don’t work for a month or so) that I decided to try Sojourn’s Firm Hold Working Spray.

I decided I would try the Firm Hold Working Spray on a photo-shoot I already had scheduled because if it performed well under hot studio lights as well as on location on a windy day without causing my hair to feel and look dry, then I would definitely have a styling product to add to the “trusted” list.  The hair for the day of the shoot was  simple, pretty, healthy looking hair that needed to stay looking pretty and  simple for a few hours.  Hairstylist Pearson Knight of PK Hair was the stylist on set the day of the shoot.  He blew out my hair with a round brushed, then set the random tousled curls with a large barreled curling iron and the Firm Hold Working Spray.  The spray performed great.  The hairstyle stayed in place for the duration of the photo-shoot (which included three different wardrobe changes and two location changes….one outside on a pretty windy day), but still had movement as well as shine.  After the shoot I did not immediately rush home to wash and condition my hair as I am normally prone to doing because my hair did not feel overly dry and as if it was going to break off if I ran my hands through it. Overall, I was really happy with how the spray performed and the hairstylist seemed excited about trying a product he had not used before and having it work so well. Sojourn’s Form Working Spray has officially been added to the “trusted” list.

Posted on November 16, 2011 by Gail Lewis in beauty, Celebrity Beauty, Hair Care 10 Comments

Deborah Lippmann Gets Festive with Holiday Glitter Polishes

As a nail polish addict, I’m a big fan of Deborah Lippmann – and I’m not alone! Deborah’s trend-making lacquers are always the “it” shades on every runway, cover shoot and red carpet, and if her lacquers are good enough for the finicky celebrities she’s turned into diehard fans, they’re good enough for me!

And Deborah doesn’t let any special occasion pass by without commemorating with some festive specialty shades! Just in time for the upcoming holiday season, the glitter-loving nail expert has created two gorgeous glitzy polishes – Shake Your Groove Thang (a glittering gold) and Do Ya Think I’m Sexy? (a gorgeous shimmering red) – perfect for jazzing up your holiday party look! Wear alone in multiple layers for an all-over chunky glitter look, or layer over coordinating or contrasting shades to serve as a gorgeously festive topcoat! They make great little stocking stuffers for the nail polish addict on your list… but don’t forget to stock up for yourself in time for all your pre-Christmas cocktail parties!

- Alex Gambardella

*Guest beauty post for A Girl’s Gotta Spa! from my friends at TheFind.com.

Posted on October 31, 2011 by Shannon Nelson in beauty, Celebrity Beauty, holiday, Nail Polish Leave a comment

Relax at the Spa Like a Star: Popular Spa Treatments of Celebrities

Guest beauty post from Jessica Krznaric

Are you maximizing your inner celebrity spa treatment? We all try to replicate celebs and their trends from where they’re shopping to how their beautifying, but what about what they are ordering at the spa? I know when I visit the spa, my number one priority is to relax, but I also like to feel as if I’m getting top-notch treatment. When considering how to spend your next spa day, here is a helpful list of spa treatments some of our beloved stars are getting to add a little R&R into their lives:

Lash Extensions
Often a best kept spa secret, lash extensions transform your lashes into a fuller, thicker look. Usually made of a synthetic material, extensions are applied one by one on upper and lower lids. Non-damaging to your natural lashes, the extensions stay on for roughly four to six weeks and fall out on their own. I have to admit, getting lash extensions sounded somewhat painful to me. I envisioned hair extensions but on the eyes. Eek! After my sister-in-law got the lash extension treatment done recently, the entire process had me intrigued. Her lashes were definitely longer, fuller and thicker. She 100% rest assured, it did not hurt at all to apply, and reiterated that they fall off naturally on their own. The “naturally on their own” part was what really changed my mind about them.

Detox
Known as a way to lose weight and become energized, detoxing targets the toxins in your body and breaks up fatty deposits. A common way the stars get their detox on? Seaweed body treatments! Your skin absorsb the minerals in the wrap. The minerals work to make your skin smooth. Detox treatments are great for targeting cellulite or after giving birth. I’ll save this one for after I’ve had a child!

Holistic Facial
The mind, body and spirit focused facial takes your entire body into a deep state of relaxation. Sounding the most appealing to me out of all the celebrity spa treatments, this spa treatment not only beautifies my face but targets my inner self. Based on Chinese traditions, the holistic facial uses “chi” energy to target nerves in the body for incredible revitalization.

Other treatments spotted being purchased by celebs include Oil Massages, the Caviar Pedicure, which uses fish eggs to replenish the skin, and the Geisha Facial. More commonly known as the Bird Poop Facial, this Japanese traditional spa treatment uses natural ingredients including nightingale droppings to improve the skin’s complexion. I think I’ll pass on that last one.

Make sure when you are visiting a spa to look and check if your beauty pro has graduated from cosmetology school or beauty school and has received their cosmetology license. Many salons showcase this in the windows or on their desk, It is better to be safe than sorry, so if I don’t see it, I ask! Now, who’s ready for a spa day!

Posted on July 20, 2011 by Shannon Nelson in Beauty Trends, Celebrity Beauty, Spa 1 Comment

Xen-Tan Partners With E! For The Perfect Hollywood-Worthy Sunless Tan

E! already reigns supreme with their coverage of Hollywood glamour on the red carpet, and now the network has been lending its name to beauty brands (like Stila!) and fashion labels (like Adrianna Papell!) to help we non-celebrities channel our inner fashion icon. The latest hit from the E! Live From The Red Carpet collection is its collaboration with Xen-Tan.

The Perfect Blend Shimmer Bronzer is designed to help us get our glow on without visiting a salon, and aims to make it easy enough for us amateurs to get a streak-free, natural-looking tan from home! It even has a dial to help customize your tan, so application is disaster-free. Red Carpet frequenters Audrina Patridge, Holly Madison, Karina Smirnoff, and E! correspondent Lisa Rinna all swear by the spray-on blend because it delivers a natural-looking glow that still makes an impact from afar and in photos, and doesn’t have that yucky canned-tan smell of many bronzing mists. If it’s good enough for the notoriously unforgiving red carpet, I’m certainly willing to give it a try!

- Alex Gambardella

Guest beauty post for A Girl’s Gotta Spa! from my friends at TheFind.com.

Posted on July 12, 2011 by Shannon Nelson in beauty, Celebrity Beauty 2 Comments

Gretta Monahan’s Hair Care Tips for New Moms

New moms may be short on time, but their beauty and style routines don’t have to suffer. Gretta Monahan, spokesperson for Dove and celebrity beauty and fashion expert (and new mom to Kai) offers her expert tips and tricks for staying stylish even when you are in “mommy mode” all day.

• Hair texture changes during pregnancy and after delivery. It can become drier, more susceptible to damage and more difficult to manage. To restore hair to pre-baby glory, the new Dove® Nourishing Oil Care Collection combines almond, coconut and light mineral oils to smooth up to 100% of roughness and frizz. For extra nourishment, the Daily Treatment Conditioner provides the nourishing power of a treatment in the time it takes to use a conditioner, and allows a whole minute of relaxation while the formula locks in nutrients for speedy damage repair!

• If you only have a few minutes to spend on your hair after showering, dry the front and top pieces and pull the rest into a high bun with a clear elastic, or one that matches your hair color, for a polished look in seconds. Remove the elastic a few hours later for – voila! – effortless waves that you can let fall naturally or play-up with bobby pins. Spread a few drops of Dove Nourishing Oil Care Serum throughout to smooth flyaways and add shine to this very “in,” beachy-wave style.

• There are lots of fun ways to keep your hair out of baby’s grasp. Fold a silk scarf or bandana into a bandeau and use as a headband by tying the lengths at the nape of your neck – very ‘70s chic. Be sure to leave some stray pieces out around your face to keep the look feminine, and apply Dove Nourishing Oil Care Leave-in Smoothing Cream to the loose strands so they fall softly and, most importantly, frizz-free. For a softer, more natural look, take the front section of your hair and pull into a side braid, creating a cute crown effect.

• The “mom cut” is a thing of the past – you do not have to chop off long locks just because a little one has entered the picture. Work with your stylist to create a look that is both easy to maintain and reflective of your personal style. Slight changes such as layers or bangs can cut your hair routine down to minutes. Ask your stylist to demonstrate a few simple, no-fuss looks to be replicated at home in a flash – that is what they are there for, after all!

Don’t forget Gretta’s previous feature on A Girl’s Gotta Spa!: Tips to Fight Hair Damage.

Posted on June 8, 2011 by Shannon Nelson in Celebrity Beauty, Hair Care Leave a comment

Spring Makeup Looks from Celebrity Makeup Artist Shalini Vadhera

I’m thrilled to give you this guest beauty post for A Girl’s Gotta Spa! from celebrity makeup artist, Shalini Vadhera, who also authored the book Passport to Beauty:

Spring is all about flawless looking skin. Whether your opting for the no makeup makeup look or going for the drama with smokey eyes, everything needs to start with beautiful, healthy glowing skin.

Prepare your canvas and get that glow!

A good face scrub 2-3 times a week will slough off dead dry skin and leave your skin glowing. Make sure you follow with a good moisturizer. Even if you’re oily! One of my favorite products this season is the The Body Shop’s Apricot Illuminating Face Base. It works as the perfect primer and adds an amazing light reflection to the skin. You can also get this look with the Revlon Skinlights. It’s also great to use on days you want to go makeup free. The apricot tone works to even out all skin tones.

A Few Of My Favorite Looks for Spring:

Natural – I love this look. Clean skin, soft neutrals on the eyes, and soft cheeks and lips. Bright lips, especially Coral lips are hot this season! This is the look I love to pair them with. If you’re too scared to go bold, opt for a gloss. I love Boots No7 Tangerine Twist (I’m obsessed with Boots!) and Bobbi Brown Soft Coral.

Pink Cheeks – Love love love this look. You can’t help but look pretty and feminine. The trick to this is to apply it on the apple of the cheeks and blend upwards. I’ve been using the M.A.C. Posey to get this look. If you feel like you need to warm it up a bit use a bronzer!

Smokey eyes – Hot. Who doesn’t love this look? However, smokey this season is not just with charcoal. Color is hot so have fun and play! I’m loving tones of greens. Starting with a wash of light gold green and smoking it up with deep forest green. If you opt for the traditional charcoal, throw in some pink on the lid to brighten it up for spring.

You can find Shalini at TheCulturedLife.com.

Posted on April 23, 2011 by Shannon Nelson in Beauty Trends, Celebrity Beauty, Makeup, makeup tips Leave a comment

Pearson Knight Recaps Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Hair Trends Fall 2011

Finally back at home and working on my next fix. I was on the road for about 5 weeks. I stopped off this season in Minneapolis as I was a Guest Artist in Smart and Chic Beauty Lounge on my way to New York Fashion Week. I was back on Aveda homegrown soil and was able to see friends, the city, and attend a Reef Shoe Graffiti event. I was also impressed with the snow fall this year, WOW!

I got into New York a few days early to prepare my week and double check schedules. I began the week backstage at Christian Siriano’s show that kicked off NYFW. I was only there to style MTV’s beauty Sophia Black as she was a front row guest of Christian’s. I wasn’t working his show but I was able to say hello to some of my favorite models, Aveda stylists and watch the craziness come together. The hair was down with texture. It appeared to be blown straight then braided in 4 sections, sprayed, flat ironed, and let down leaving it with a textured kinked wave. I was invited to watch the show which was a treat being I’m usually deep in hair until it’s over. Beautiful.

Next stop was Jason Wu. He is one of my favorites every season. The hair was creatively put up. The center part pulled back hair was secured with Aveda’s Control Force spray into a low ponytail, then a twist braid with ends fanned out was looped up and pinned. The final touch was 24K gold leaf was delicately added to the ends. So sharp and elegant. I love the creativity of the hair combined with the Batman like lace mask for some of the more elegant pieces shown. As usual I had a great time at this show with some of my favorite stylist, make up artist, models, and of course Jason Wu and Aveda.

The week continued with some house calls for events, media parties, other shows and excellent dinners. I ended up at a venue that was hosting 4 shows that day. I was going to help with the 2nd and 4th show. The teams were well staffed and I had some time to hang around the neighborhood for lunch and head back to wait for the 4th show. I started to notice the designer of the 3rd show was crying and for whatever reason had no makeup team for her show. I asked if she needed makeup done, knowing time to walk would be soon. She replied “yes” graciously and told me the feel for the show was Ghost Geisha. I said “done!” I quickly grabbed 3 talented familiar faces waiting for the next show and built a mini makeup team. This was out of my normal Fashion Week bag of tricks so it was super fresh for me. I had a great time being a part of the solution and she had a great show.

My favorite show every season is Rodarte. I love the girls, the runway, makeup, clothes, hair and inspiration I get from working with them every season. The venue was in the Gagosian Gallery and was beautiful. The hair was organically down with texture. The hair was prepped with Aveda Phomollient and free hand blown out. The top front section to the right of the part was blown forward and hand styled up and back. The rest was free hand blown and given texture with Aveda’s air control. Then it was loosely brought to the right shoulder and secured with a small fishtail braid leaving the ends out. The feel and inspiration was wheat. The texture of the hair and collection went hand in hand of course. After I calmed down from the stimulating show I headed out to Kate and Laura Mulleavy’s apartment to style them up again for their after party. Unfortunately they were beat from the day and needed all their rest for the party and I wasn’t able to dial them in and shoot the breeze.

Right when I thought that was the end of my fashion week, I was invited to be a part of a collaboration with an amazing team for a photo shoot. We were locked and stocked with wardrobe, stylist, locations, makeup, models, photographer and everyone pumped full of inspiration from the week. We ended up shooting 12 hours starting at the crack of dawn. We shot 5 models with 3 wardrobe changes, 3 different hair looks, and 7 locations including a vintage tavern, NYC rooftop and Times Square. It was fresh! Amazing way to end Fashion Week. I can’t wait to see the shots.

I flew into Orlando and rested with family for a couple days when I was invited to tag team everybody’s favorite food celebrity, Giada De Laurentiis. I headed out to meet up with the very talented celebrity makeup artist, Julie Morgan. We were working off and on throughout the South Beach Wine and Food Festival as Giada was host. She had multiple events to be at with changes of clothes, hair and makeup. My favorite was making sure she was looking beautiful at the Ocean Drive Magazine rooftop party. I couldn’t be too fixated on her hair with great music, all the sushi I wanted, and an amazing view distracting me. I have worked with her and her husband before and they are amazing. In all seriousness I was honored to participate in the parties with Julie, Giada, her family and crew. If your going to do South Beach, party hopping with Giada and crew is the way to go!

Thank you all for an amazing 5 weeks! I love what I do and you make it better. You are the most beautiful version of you so keep it great! PK Hair has exciting news coming soon so keep up or follow @1Pearson1 on twitter and Facebook.com/PKHair.

Posted on March 7, 2011 by Shannon Nelson in Celebrity Beauty, Fashion Week Beauty, Hair Care Leave a comment
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