What's Going On

There are lots of things that go on in my life that don't get posted to RGR. I am an avid Instagram and Twitter user but I know some of you don't utilize those platforms. I thought I would start a little (occasional) series. I'll be highlighting those things that don't make it to the blog and previewing some future content. Because my love of for 60's and 70's R and B runs deep, I thought I would call on Marvin for this one. Sadly Marvin is no longer with us.



May was really busy and June and July promise to be even busier. You know you're in for a crazy summer with the majority of your weekends in May, June and July are booked before the end of March. I'm trying to squeeze in some home repairs, Stella and Dot trunk shows, and relaxation into my schedule.

Falling in love with Korean skin care products, post soon.

I'm trying out some fun new products via Influenster, post soon.

Small changes to our bedroom. A close up of our new comforter.

The Stella & Dot Fall Preview collection launches today!  www.stelladot.com/debv to order

Old chairs to rehab...

A little spray paint and now they are like new and ready for summer!

Fun with friends (and {msL}) and some fantastic new music last weekend.

If you're on Instagram (@realgirlrunway) or Twitter (@realgirlrunway), I'd love for your to follow me. Be sure to say hi and I will return the favor.

Try It Out - J'Adore Vox Box

I'm a product junkie and one of the things I love most about blogging is trying out the new products that I receive from companies and firms like Influenster. I received the J'Adore Vox Box and it contained quite a few products! Just call me your blogging guinea pig.

 

 

When I opened the box, I found six products. 

• Hershey's Kisses - I LOVE chocolate and Hershey's kisses are one of my all time favorites. {msL} helped me dig into the bag right away. We filled our candy dish with them and there are only a few left.
• Red Rose Simply Indulgent Tea - I received Lemon Chiffon and Creme Caramel. I admit I was a bit skeptical. I love tea but I don't add any sugar to my tea. Occasionally, I add some lemon but that's all. The prospect of tea inspired by desserts didn't sound great. I really enjoyed the Lemon Chiffon but even though caramel is one of my favorite flavors, the Creme Caramel wasn't a hit with me.  I think I'd like to try the Cinnamon Streusel but I didn't get one of those.
• Kiss Looks So Natural Lashes - Even as girly and make-up obsessed as I am, I'm a klutz when it comes to false lashes. I wore them on my wedding day but only because my hair stylist, who is also a make up artist, helped me. I gave these lashes a try and I have to say, I was impressed with the glue the most. The applicator and ease of use, where impressive. I love how the glue applicator has a wand and it goes onto the lash with a greenish hue, that dries clear. It made that part so easy. Then came the klutz part. There is no magic applicator for applying them to my lash line. I got them on and they are light and semi-natural looking thanks to their shape. They would have been great on my wedding day and will be good on special occasions.

• Boots Botanics Clay Mask - I rarely have breakouts but before trying this mask, I got the biggest pimple on my chin. I used the mask all over. Then I applied a dot onto the pimple, let it dry and left it on over night. My pimple was drastically reduced in the morning. I was impressed.
• John Frieda 3 Day Straight Flat Iron Spray - I don't have frizzy hair but I have terrible fly aways in the winter. I hoped that this spray would help with that issue. I tried it and it worked to tame my fly aways and fried ends (from my ombre color) but it was a bit much for my fine hair. It left it a bit flat. I'm sure for some of my full and curly haired friends, it would be fantastic. It was easy to use with just damp hair and a flat iron.
• Vaseline Men Spray Lotion - {msL} tried this product. She prefers men's cologne over women's and I thought this would work for her. She loved the application, she said it was easy. She also liked the scent, although she said if she put it on, she'd have to refrain from using any other scent that day. The lotion scent is very strong, but pleasant. She liked the moisture and I liked how soft it made her skin.

I was pleased with most of the products that I received through +Influenster. Many worked well for me and I enjoyed trying them.

Note: I received these products through the Influenster program, for the purpose of my feedback and review. All thoughts and comments are my own. If you're interested in joining, Influenster, leave a comment below or email me at: realgirlrunway@live.com

Meaningful Beauty Crème de Serum - Review

Over the past year I've become a big fan of serums. They have become a regular part of my beauty routine. They are perfect for my combination skin. They are moisturizing but not sticky and I can wear them under make-up with no oil build up (even in summer).  When I was offered the chance to try out Cindy Crawford's Meaningful Beauty Crème de Serum, I said yes. Having seen the commercials on late night TV, I was curious to see if the product lived up to it's claim. We all know that skin care is a big part of great aging but genetics is also a big factor. If you've ever seen a photo of Cindy and her mom, you'd know what I mean about genetics.

I decided to give this serum a thorough test. I used it morning and night until the full tube was gone. In fact, after I started using it, I knew I would want to use it until it was gone. It is all of the things I love about serums. At first my skin was a bit temperamental but that always happens to men when I switch treatments. After a day or two of adjustment, it was great. It's light and moisturizing. It worked well under my makeup and didn't feel greasy.

After about a month and a half of use, I am pleased with the results. There were no drastic changes in my skin but I do think my forehead creases look less deep. They are the wrinkles on my face that I dislike the most. If I believe there is some improvement, then the product works. This photo was taken shortly after my forty-sixth birthday. Not bad, huh?

 

I definitely like Meaninigful Beauty Crème de Serum. If you like serums, I'd highly recommend it.


Note: Meaningful Beauty Creme de Serum was provided to me via a program through Influenster. The opinions expressed here are my own honest review of this product.

Better Exercise with Dr. Scholl's® Active Series® Insoles

My apologies for the long silence. Lots of us in the DC area were impacted by the government shutdown. I work for a contractor to the government and was out of work for 17 days. I used the time to do projects around our house, work on me, and take a little break from technology and the blog. Part of working on me was more exercise. Luckily, right before the shutdown, I received Dr. Scholl's® Active Series® inserts to try (via Influenster). Since I battle Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA), I jumped at the chance to try something that could possibly make exercise more enjoyable. Moving is an important part of therapy for RA, which is hard sometimes when you don't feel well. So, I try to find exercise that is good for me but also enjoyable.  I attend Zumba class, do yoga and walk regularly. I wasn't sure that these insoles would really help but decided to give them a try.

The handy guide marks on the underside of the insoles make them easy to cut and adjust to your size.  They come in two sizes for women (and men).  I wear a size nine and received the larger size (8 1/2 - 11).  I removed the insoles that came in my running shoes, cut the insoles to fit and slid them in.  They were a tight fit but I adjusted them and they fit perfectly.  At first I noticed that they made my shoes a bit tighter than the original insoles.  I just adjusted the tightness of my laces. First I tried them at my Zumba classes.  They were great.  In previous sessions I'd noticed some soreness on the bottoms of my feet (before the insoles).  That isn't an issue anymore! No soreness at all. They provided really good arch support as well. Once I tried them at Zumba, I had to give them a try on my regular walks.  I walk with my good friend Joey on Saturday mornings at Potomac Mills Mall.  They have a mall walking program but we just head over early on Saturday mornings for a little gab time and walking.  Joey has lost 150lbs. on Weight Watchers and his main form of exercise has been walking!

Joey and I, all smiles during our walk.

Asics



Jacket - C9 by Champion from Target (sold out but similar here), t-shirt, Yoga Pants - Old Navy (old style but similar here)

There was a little too much window shopping this time so we only got in 3.5 miles.  My new Dr. Scholl's® Active Series® insoles were the star.  They really helped me to enjoy my walk more, with fewer aches and pains. 

Note: My insoles were provided to me via a program through Influenster. The opinions expressed here are my own honest review of this product.