A Girl's Gotta Spa! (sm) Top beauty blog, spa, hair care, makeup, beauty trends, skin care - Beauty Blog of Skin Care, Spa, Cosmetics and Beauty Reviews | A Girl's Gotta Spa! (sm) Top beauty blog, spa, hair care, makeup, beauty trends, skin care

Sun Bum SPF Lip Balm Review

One of the most under-protected parts of your body when it comes to sun exposure, is your lips. I'm definitely guilty of applying lip gloss regularly, most without SPF, which is like a big UV magnet. Anyone willing to admit the same? Amanda raved over Sun Bum's Continuous Spray Sunscreen, Read more

Top 10 Beauty Products to Get Your Glow On

Sun bathing is so 1980. Achieving a summer glow without the damaging rays is the way to go. Here are the top 10 beauty products to get your glow on: 1. Gabriel Cosmetics Zuzu Luxe Bronzer 2. L’Occitane En Provence Pivoine Flora Shimmering Oil 3. CoverGirl Champagne Enhancer as a highlighter 4. Laura Mercier Foundation Read more

LATHER Go Coconuts Body Scrub and Body Whip Review

  There is nothing I love more in the summer (or for a mid-winter wake up) than the scent of coconuts. The fragrance makes me nostalgic of my childhood spent on the beaches of Rhode Island--from Prudence Island to Narraganset and Portsmouth, the scent of coconut-scented sunscreen filled the air. Read more

The Body Shop New Lip Gloss Collection Review

I’m a sucker for good lip gloss. You can never have too many and you’re never too old for a juicy, fruity, super shiny gloss. The Body Shop’s new Lip Gloss Collection is packed with juicy flavors, mouth watering shine, and moisturizing glazes of color. With 11 super-glossy shades Read more

Aveeno Protect + Hydrate Lotion Sunscreen Review

Life after Melanoma for me has been an interesting balance of educating myself and others about the dangers of the sun and skin cancer awareness ... and finding ways to enjoy my time in the sun without being totally paranoid. Part of that mission has included trying every sunscreen Read more

Last day for Coutorture’s giveaway!

Today is the last day to enter to win prizes that Coutorture.com is giving away. Winner’s are picked on August 1st! ****Contest has ended, please see new contests in the sidebar.

About my giveaway:

Since I am a Rep. for Country Bunny Bath and Body, I decided to toss my goodies into giveaway. I have put together a Fresh and Fruity sample pack of products.

If you win, you will receive:

2oz. Life Song Aromatherapy Body Spray in our Refresh scent. Refresh is a citrus scent and you can learn more about this line of products here.

2oz. Clean Hare Moisturizing Shampoo. You can read more about our wonderful line of shampoo here.

Travel Size tube of Kiwi Cooler Aloe Shea Body Butter. This body butter is part of our Kiwi Cooler Suncare line. You can learn more about it here.

Polycon container of Body and Face Spa Polish in our CSpa scent. This is one of my favorite products and I am sure it will be one of yours too once you try it! You can read more about this product here.

Salt Scrub Sample in Oatmeal Milk and Honey. Oatmeal Milk and Honey is our #1 selling scent. It is a yummy creamy sweet almond scent. You can read more about this Salt Scrub here.

This Fresh and Fruity sample pack comes in an Olive Green organza bag.

If you would like to sign up for my personal Country Bunny Bath and Body mailing list, please enter your email below.

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Posted on by Shannon Nelson in beauty 1 Comment

AVON Instant Manicure Review Follow Up

As a skeptic to the AVON Instant Manicure before trying them out, I am now a believer. I had really thought there was no way that dry nail enamel could not only look like freshly painted nails, but last as long as AVON claimed.

My AVON Instant Manicure lasted 12 days. That was 12 days of really putting it through the ringer with my normal day to day activities (washing dishes, cleaning, constantly banging my hands into things, a nail breaking, etc.) I did notice some wear by day 10 at the very tip of my nail, but that would be because I was scrutinizing this product for a review. If I were just wearing them to wear them, I really wouldn’t have noticed at all.

I also noticed that the Instant Manicure strips wore just as a real acrylic manicure wears. As your nail grows, there is space between the polish and cuticle. So just as you need to see your manicurist every 14 days, the same would be true of the Instant Manicure. This actually made this product more believable in their claims, since they weren’t boasting that they would wear any longer than 14 days.

Another thing I noticed, was that it wasn’t as easy to remove the color as it had been previously when I removed the test strip. Which is a good thing. It showed me that the color was really stuck on there. It wasn’t impossible, it just took a little more effort than before. What I loved is that the color didn’t bleed onto my skin as I removed it, as would normal removal of nail color.

After removing the instant manicure, I applied normal nail polish. Within a day I immediately noticed the difference. I had chips and peels and my nails looked a mess. The AVON Instant Manicure will surely now be the only polish I put on my nails.

Rant: Last week my local newstation did a review on this product. When I found out it was going to be done, I quickly emailed them to give them my insight on the product. I never heard back and watched their review. It was very skewed, as they had a manicurist at one of our area’s top Spa’s/Salon’s apply the Instant Manicure to this top Spa/Salon’s receptionist. Can you guess how she felt about this product? As one would expect, she didn’t give it a two thumbs up. Are you surprised? 1. This product is geared towards women as a DIY and to not have to go to the salon and fork out $30 for a manicure. 2. Naturally a manicurist isn’t going to endorse it, as she will then lose clients. Today I emailed the reporter who did this story and voiced my disappointment, being sure to note that I am NOT an AVON rep., therefore I have no agenda to see this product get a rave review. I just think that if this product is geared towards a target market, it should be someone from that market reviewing the product, do you agree?

What are your thoughts?

**Disclaimer: No offense to the reporter of the news station or the reviewee from the Spa. It is just my opinion that it should’ve been reviewed by someone who is not a professional manicurist or works in a salon. Please note that the news station series I am referring to, is one I watch almost all the time and feel that most often he is providing a public service to consumers, saving them money, when they may consider purchasing a product that makes great claims, but falls short on its promises.

Posted on by Shannon Nelson in beauty, Nail Polish 5 Comments

Spa Worthy Charity: Fairytale Dreams Program

The Fairytale Dreams Program is a new pilot program, offering wedding and prom gowns to girls and women who could not otherwise afford them. Fairytale Dreams is seeking such wedding dresses and prom gowns, as they rely soley on donations to keep this program running. This program services women in Rhode Island, Massachusetts and Connecticut.

Fairytale Dreams is looking for:
- Wedding Gowns
- Bridesmaids Dresses
- Prom Dresses
- Jewelry
- Unopened Cosmetics
- Unused Hoisery
- Veils
- Tiaras
- Pocketbooks
- Shoes

We all have dresses laying around from proms, weddings, etc. Stop letting them collect dust, donate them!

The only stipulation is that they don’t have any stains or rips. They also prefer gowns made within the last 5 years as styles can vary so much from other decades.

Formal gowns will be given out next spring for the 2007 prom season. Wedding gowns will be given out on a continuous basis for women who couldn’t otherwise afford one.

Also, it is never too early to be invited to a Halloween shindig! So if you are local in and around Newport, RI, please RSVP to their invite below and Save the Date!


If you have any gowns you would like to donate to Fairytale Dreams, please visit their website at www.fairytaledreamsprogram.com for more information.

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Posted on by Shannon Nelson in beauty 1 Comment

Review: Hook Up Lipgloss by mark.

When Meg Johnson sent me AVON’s Instant Manicure, she also threw in a sample of mark.’s new Hook Up Lipgloss from glow baby glow. I’ve never tried a mark. product before, so I didn’t quite understand what the package meant when it said “A new system of products that hook up.” If you are familiar with mark. you are most likely laughing at my ignorance.

mark.’s Hook Up is a collection of mascara, creamy eye shadow, liquid eyeliner and lipgloss that can hook together with a connector, creating convenience when you go searching through your handbag looking to freshen your face. So you can hook two lipglosses together, a body shimmer and eye shadow and so on. The Hook Up Connector has been featured in magazine’s such as Allure, InStyle and Glamour (where have I been?)

The Hook Up lipgloss collection comes in glow baby glow, which is sheer and shiny; glow baby glow luxe, which is super reflective with a mirror-like sparkle; and metalluscious, which is rich in color, has a gleam to it and moisturizes and conditions.

Meg sent me Peek-a-boo and Pink Crush from the glow baby glow set. I believe Meg had no idea what a lipgloss/lipstick fantatic I truly am when she sent this. While the instant manicure was the reason for the package, I pushed it aside to immediately open the lipgloss!

Both colors have a yummy scent that seem to be a mix of Bubble Gum and Cotton Candy. I loved how the Pink Crush seemed to only have a hint more color than my lips and had such a great shine. Peek-a-boo gave my lips a frosted look with shine. I used Peek-a-boo with my no makeup look and I looked marvelous. The gloss seemed to last the usually amount of time, but did a fabulous job of making my pout look perfect.

mark. Hook Up lipgloss: $5
Hook Up Connector is free when you purchase any 2 Hook Up products.
mark. Crystal Shimmer Hook Up Powder is also free (as of this post) when you purchase any 2 Hook Up products.

Want to see your product reviewed? Please click here for more information.

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Posted on by Shannon Nelson in beauty, lip gloss, Makeup 1 Comment

Hamlin Ole Tyme Daz

For those of you in Northeast PA or visiting the beautiful Lake Wallenpaupack area, I am inviting you to come stop by Hamlin Ole Tyme Daz for which I will be a vendor. Hamlin Ole Tyme Daz will take place beginning this Friday, July 28th through Sunday the 30th. It is being held at the Masonic Lodge fairgrounds off of Route 191 in Hamlin, PA. Fairgrounds open at 8am and admission is only $1. ($1!) It’s held rain or shine.

There will be food, music, a flea market, crafters, a daily auction, demo’s, door prizes and will feature antique and classic cars, motorcycles and so on.

Just look for the Country Bunny Bath & Body tent and come be pampered. I look forward to meeting you!

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Posted on by Shannon Nelson in beauty 6 Comments