The gym shoe rant

 

Going to the gym is so not on my list of fun things to do. However, I am not one to just run around the block or even pop in a mundane exercise video. Having a gym membership, for me, means that I’ll go because I don’t want to waste money. Lately, my feet have been hurting after my workouts. Granted, my feet hurt from constantly standing at work, but they shouldn’t hurt all the time.

I purchased two new pairs of shoes to wear to the gym today. I had a really fantastic discount coupon and it’s been ages (November 2000) since I’ve purchased new athletic shoes. I’d say it was about time for new ones! I honestly didn’t think much or wearing 8 year old shoes. I figured they were just as great as the day I bought them. Well, I was wrong! They turned out to be the reason for my foot pain.

I tried on what seemed like a zillion pairs and it was like walking on air. Let me tell you, shoe technology has come a long way since 2000. They are light weight and bouncy! I ended up with a pair of Nike’s and New Balances. I always thought New Balance shoes were “cheap” (i.e. sold at K-Mart) but oh no my friends, I learned today that they are, in fact, quite expensive.

While picking out shoes, I noticed that manufacturers certainly produce a lot of pink shoes. I kind of like pink in moderation but it’s nowhere near my favorite color. I don’t even think I own a single piece of pink clothing (besides undies). It’s like shoe manufactures think, “All girls like pink! Lets make 90% of our shoes pink and they will totally buy them! We’ll sell them for $150 and they won’t even notice because they’ll be so happy to have pink workout shoes!” Omg. No. Just no.

Perhaps in another 8 years when I buy athletic shoes again, there will be less of a pink color selection. Now I remember why I would only buy my athletic shoes in high school from the little boys department: no pink! BTW: both pairs I bought today are blue and silver. Even the black shoes had a trace amount of pink!

The Faux Tan Files #2

What: Bliss’ A Tan for All Seasons, $36. It sprays out purple to neutralize orange (genius) and gives a hint of tint instantly so you can see where you put it. The nozzle sprays 360 degrees so you’ll never miss a spot.

Rating: 5! I like this better then VS Bare Bronze. It dries super quickly (somewhere between instantly and 3 minutes) and doesn’t feel like anything once it’s rubbed. It’s also very easy to use.

The smell: Not bad at all. There wasn’t really a scent right off the bat. Once it had been on my skin for a few hours I started to smell a little self tanner scent but it was faint.

The color: No orange! It’s a natural looking shade on my fair skin. I actually have color that doesn’t scream, “My tan is from a can!”

Verdict: I love it. If you check Sephora.com the ratings are all very good, too.

Tip: When scrubbing or removing excess self tanner from hands or body, always apply scrub or soap to the area before adding water. Using water first will lock in the self tanner. I wish this tip was of my own genius, but it’s from a super smart Bliss employee.

Tip #2: Before using self tanner be sure to exfoliate! I like Bliss scrubs, like the Lemon and Sage scrub featured above. It also helps to remove tanner from your hands post faux tan session.

PS: I got Bliss’ Fat Girl Slim anti-cellulite treatment today. I will report my results on a later date as this is a product that needs to be used consistently and as directed. Using one time would not make for an accurate review. Also, to anyone thinking of using this product, a little goes a long way. You don’t want to use it like a regular body moisturizer.

The Faux Tan Files #1

What: Victoria’s Secret Bare Bronze Collection, $32 (free for me thanks to a bday gift card). This set features a full size 5.3 oz bronzing spray for instant color over the course of a few hours, 3.2 oz gradual tan firming body lotion for tanning maintenance, and a 3.4 oz sand and surf body polish to buff away dead skin and provide a smooth surface for self tanner application.

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars. I completely adore the sand and surf body polish. It feels luxurious and is one of the best body scrubs I’ve tried. The bronzing spray was fairly decent. The first time I used it, I was very light handed and didn’t get much color. The second time I it gave me more of a glow and enhanced my skin tone by about 4-5 shades. The gradual firming body lotion was nice but not memorable.

The smell: VS described the scent as “a sweet, creamy Brazil nut scent,” and I would agree. It’s pleasant at first, then the self tanner scent settles in and is covered by the Brazil nut scent. The scent wasn’t as offensive as most self tanners on the market and it also wasn’t the best, either.

The color: Surprisingly not orange. It was a very subtle golden shade. I’m pretty fair so for a self tanner to not instantly turn orange on me was a nice surprise. It did look slightly yellow around my elbow and more exfoliation followed by a bit of regular body lotion would have fixed that issue.

Verdict: Not bad at all. If you are looking for more color, do add more product. I’m always conservative with the amount of products I use because I believe that it’s best to start with less and build up gradually from there. It’s easier to add product then to remove excess.

Tip: So I don’t get tell-tale self tanner hands and help to avoid streaks, I blend with a kabuki brush instead of my hands. The kit is a good way to try the products. I probably would not have purchased the scrub because I have so many, but this one is pretty nice and is possibly worth a repurchase.

First Day Off in Over a Week

Today was a much needed day off and I totally tried to enjoy it because I work eight days in a row without another day off this week. I can’t even begin to tell you how badly I want next Saturday to come so I can sleep in, get a facial and pedicure, and catch up on doing laundry. Below is a mini account of things I did today:

1. I’m house sitting/dog sitting for my aunt and uncle for the next few days. They have a dog sitting business so I am hanging out with a few four-legged clients while they are gone. I have full work days ahead and luckily they have a neighbor that comes over to play with the dogs while I’m away. I’m currently taking care of their two German shepherds (one was a rescue dog that only has three legs), plus a one-eyed basset hound, and a pudgy corgi. Two more dogs will join our party tomorrow morning.

2. I’m attending and doing makeup for a wedding Sunday. I had a dress in mind to wear but I just realized the wedding and reception will be outdoors and it will be crazy hot that day, so I’m trying to figure out what I’m going to wear. I also need to find comfy flats. Whatever I wear to the wedding also needs to be appropriate for a meeting since I have one scheduled for that evening. Eeeeeeek!

3. While at Target, hoping they’d have cute inexpensive flats (they didn’t), I found a new book to read. It seems promising.

4. While at TJ Maxx, hoping they’d also have cute flats and a colorful inexpensive dress (they didn’t), I found some Korres products on sale! I love, love, love Korres watermelon scrub. Yum. I was so excited to score a few tubes at only $4 each. The one I went to had a lot of the Lemon Basil body wash and lotion. FYI: Korres is changing the size of their body washes and a few other items, hence being at TJ Maxx.

5. I also got a cute new hair cut today.

6. My dinner consisted of: wine, wheat thins, rice, and carrots. There’s food here at my aunt and uncles but nothing I can make an actual meal out of. I’ll be grocery shopping tomorrow for sure.

VS Vanilla & Sandalwood

 

 

 

I made a small Victoria Secret order recently thanks to birthday gift cards and VS coupon codes. I got one of the new Biofit 7-Way bra (OMG amazing), a self tanner kit (reviews coming when I try it), and a lotion from their new Naturally Victoria’s Secret line.

The scent is Vanilla Sandalwood, which sounded like my cup of tea since I like both vanilla and sandalwood. Have you ever been at a Catholic mass and incense was burned during the service? That’s exactly what this lotion smells like. It is not for me at all and will be sent back. It also doesn’t feel very hydrating. Perhaps other scents within the line are better and this experience reminds me to never buy scented items online without sniffing them in person first.