nail polish

Beauty Buys! Plus an at-home gel mani!

| cheriarmour

So drug store cosmetics are some of my favorite purchases in the world, but with the wedding coming up, I have been focusing more of my finances on wedding things, and less on extraneous purchases.  But last week, I was out of a few things, and so I treated myself to some things I’ve been meaning to buy for a while.  Let’s look through a few of my purchases, and I’ll let you know how they worked out!

DSC_0726 DSC_0727

Okay starting from the far left.

Volum’ Express Falsies Big Eyes Mascara by Maybelline – My honest opinion is I wouldn’t buy this.  I wasn’t really impressed with what it did, and it didn’t really do much for me.  It was really a meh purchase.  Very meh.  I have had better luck with Volum’ Express Colossal…much more worth it for the money.

Maybelline Dream Fresh BB Cream – This is definitely a good buy.  I don’t wear a ton on my skin since I’ve been using Proactiv, but this buy is definitely worth it.  A little dab kinda just smooths out what is going on, and is really really good for a day where you have a gnarly breakout.  It also contains some SPF which is really important for us ladies that are not interested in turning leathery.

RevitaLift Miracle Blur anti-aging skin care by L’Oreal Paris – This product, which was introduced to me by Amanda, is a killer purchase.  So it’s a moisturizer, which I can always use more of, it contains SPF, and it sort of just magically fixes your skin.  Prior to starting Proactiv, I kind of had a permanent breakout on my forehead, that left me with some dark marks.  Between the Proactiv, limited makeup, and this product, I feel like this is the last piece in the puzzle to fix what’s been going on with my skin.  Seriously, if you have drier skin, and you’re looking for a moisturizer with some SPF that can be worn on it’s own, this is is.  Thank you Amanda!

Okay, last but not least, the folks at A Beautiful Mess taught me how to do a gel mani at home.  HOLLA AT SAVING $50!

What you’ll need to do your own gel mani and save a bajillion dollars over the course of a year.

DSC_0723

  • Rubbing alcohol 
  • Acetone for removal (kinda more after). 
  • Gelous Gel Nail Coat <-You can get that at Sally’s

DSC_0724

  • Your nail color
  • A top coat – AMB recommends Seche Vite, which I have, but I went with my Orly top coat, and it seemed to work out well.

Kay, here are your steps. Nails are clean and buffed, right?

  1. Swab your nails with alcohol to get any excess oils off.
  2. Do a thin coat of Gelous, let it dry for a minutes.
  3. Do a coat of the color, let it dry for three minutes.
  4. Another coat of Gelous, let it dry for a minute.
  5. ANOTHER coat of color, three minutes dry time.
  6. Your top coat, dry it for one minute.
  7. And FINALLY do one last coat of Gelous, seal the top of your nails, and let it dry for a million years.  Seriously, as long as possible

DSC_0725

At. Home. Gel. Mani.

Saved ya money!

What do you have planned for this weekend?

5 random things I’ve done since Friday.

| cheriarmour

I totally stole this idea from DC Rainmaker, except he was in France this past weekend and I was in hell, getting coldly rained on all weekend.  No joke, I literally almost took all my important things (so my dogs), put them in my car, and drove to my sister’s place in Florida.  Ugh.  But no complaints, it was beautiful enough today for me to run 15 miles with some good friends, so as long as it stays this way, I will be a happy lady.  So here it is, 5 random things I’ve done since Friday. 

1.  I ran 15 miles with one of my best friends from high school, and someone from work.  The weather was gorgeous, I had my little hydration backpack on, and my stomach held out for 15 beautiful miles.  The run also made me think of how much better a run is when you can socialize.  Don’t get me wrong, sometimes you need a run on your own to sort through some things that you might be going through, but sometimes, the best convos can be had on a long run.  Afterwords, Milania (high school bestie) and I cooked an organic cheese pizza, doused it in hot sauce, and slammed a beer while I taught her how to foam roll.

2.  I painted my nails this color. 

41fpjFgEZ5L._SX425_The color is Peach Daiquiri by Essie, and it’s so gorgeous for spring.  I’m obsessed with nail stuff, so my nails are always painted, but this one looks the best with my skin, and garnered a few compliments at work.  Plus since I’m wedding saving, it was a little cheaper than heading to the salon for a full mani/pedi.

3.  I ran the steam cleaner again.  My friends really make fun of me for this, but with a lot of pets, especially a new foster who’s a little nervous around the house, I had to run it again to prevent the carpet from getting stained from an accident, and to prevent that creepy ‘Hoarders’ smell.

4.  My husband-to-be and one of his best friends wore similar shirts to dinner.  Except Derek tucked his in, so I had Austin tuck his in, and made the two pose for a pic after dinn on Friday night.

DSC_0186

 

Handsome blue is my husband-to-be.  Handsome orange is Derek, a good friend.

5. I think I picked a gift for my bridesmaids.  None of which who I’ve officially alerted to the fact that they’re bridesmaids, so I hope they all say yes.  If they do, they probably will get this, or something similar.

n196gf_on_the_mark_necklace_2I love jewelry like this, and rest-assured, I will probably buy one for myself, and grab one to give away on the blog since you guys make me so happy.  What do you think of this delicate little piece?

Tell me one really really random thing about you.  

Also, stay tuned, I have a really really exciting interview coming up, and you guys will totally not want to miss this!

@Ultabeauty, what’s with the bad customer service?

| cheriarmour

In addition to working out, eating, and running, there’s almost nothing I love more than beauty products.

Something about the way they smell, they way they fit into my little cosmetic bag, and they way they can take you from sweaty and gross to feeling like a super model.

So Thursday, between teaching a class and making my way home, I’d become convinced that I needed a classic red nail lacquer upon discovering that I only had a wine.

And then, while I was there, may as well pick up this beautiful blue-green I’d seen when I was there last week, right?

So off to Ulta I headed.

I approached the professional nail care section, and spotted a product that I’d seen Demi Lovato, my Latin lady lover, plugging on E!  I asked the nail tech about it, and she seemed irritated that I was bothering her as she filed her nails.

“Is this Demi Lovato’s line?”

[sigh} “I have no idea.”

I chirped a thanks, and it was clear that I’d be helping myself for the remainder of the trip.

I grabbed these…

photo…and headed to the check out, where I waited for 100 years before someone could help me check out with my two items.

I don’t know if I’m more sensitive to customer service, because I work for Fleet Feet, and we bend over any ways our customers want, but it’s nice to get the same treatment when I go shopping for whatever it is I want.  And it’s really really challenging to shop for cosmetics online.  You can’t smell them, you can’t see what the colors really look like, and it just makes more sense to shop for them online.

But when you shop at a place where you’re not sure if they even want you there, what’s a girl to do?

I wrote a letter to Ulta corporate, and I received a call from the manager today.  I will call him back, and we can discuss how gross my experience at Ulta was.

Now, I don’t want you guys to just think that I complain all day – I write letters when I have excellent customer service as well, and always have.

Whats the best customer service you guys have ever had?

Mine would have to be from Amazon.  Any dealings I’ve had with Amazon have been absolutely stellar, and one time, when I broke my Kindle, they apologized profusely, and asked what they could do to fix it?

What’s the worst?

Mine would probably be at Ulta the other day.  I hate to feel like anywhere I’m giving my money doesn’t want me.

What about you?

 

Here’s what! What three things are you obsessed with today?

| cheriarmour

I dedicate this post to none other than Bravo Andy.  If you know anything of me, you know that I love Bravo, and Bravo Andy is seriously my American Idol.  I think we were separated at birth, because our senses of humor are strikingly similar.  But I’m going into far too much detail about my Jewish brethren, let’s get on with it!  At the beginning of each broadcast, Andy does his “Here’s What” segment, which involves him telling us what three things he’s obsessed with that day.

So here’s what!

1.  Butter London Nail Polish in Pimms.photo 2 (4)I have been looking for a good quality yellow polish for a long time, and I just haven’t found the right shade for my skin tone.  I finally researched, and found this color on Amazon.  Once I found out that Ulta carried the polish, which runs at $15 a bottle (whew!) I bought it last night, and gave myself a much-needed mani.  The color is gorgeous, and is bringing a lot of sunshine to an otherwise crappy weather situation.

photo 3 (3)

2.  The Netflix app for iPhone.  I have been a big fan of Netflix for a long time, however, I figured something really really cool out.  Yesterday, after I taught Zumba, I was dreading having to run 5 miles for marathon training because I just wasn’t comfortable doing it outside.  A lot of the trails and side roads are still really icy here, and I didn’t want to risk slipping and injuring myself.  So I got the bright idea to download the Netflix app, and watch a movie while I plodded through 5 miles. 

photo (1)I’ve seen ‘Flight’ before, but since I’d liked it so well the first time, I decided to watch it again.  The movie is fantastic.  Seriously.  The previews were a little deceptive, although the story is based around this pilot, the plot deals more with addiction and less with flying than you’d think, though this movie seriously has one of THE best flight scenes I think I’ve ever seen.  But if addiction interests you whatsoever, please watch this.

3.  This dog. 

photo (14)Coco is the tiny girl wonder who came into our lives a few weeks ago.  She’s an absolute doll, and I’m having a blast spoiling the heck out of her.  We’re still working on potty problems, but honestly, nothing makes me happier than waking up in the middle of the night and peeking down at the edge of the bed to see her curled up.  She is SO good.  If she doesn’t stop crapping on my floor though, I’m gonna cook her for dinner!

I kid!  She’s great!

So, on this icy Friday, what three things are you obsessed with?  Feel free to send me pics of your dogs too, you know I love a good dog pic 🙂 

 

 

What Courtney Wore – Courtney Kerr Shoutout

| cheriarmour

I will never pretend I’m a fashionista.  I spend far, far too much of my time in 3/4 spandex, race tees, and my dreads pulled into a top knot.  Seriously, I once had an boyfriend tell me that he was embarrassed to be seen with me in the outfits I’d pieced together between Target and local consignment stores.  Ouch.

Aforementioned top knot.
Aforementioned top knot.

There are, however, a few things that I love.  I love my nail polish.  I love fresh cosmetics.  I live for my white Michael Kors watch.  And the minute that I have more of a disposable income, all the money won’t just go to spandex and extra deodorant, it will also go to flushing out my weird Brooklyn wardrobe.

Now, Bravo is launching a couple of shows that I’m so excited about (in addition to Real Housewives of Atlanta, Millionaire Matchmaker, and Shahs of Sunset and Toned Up, featuring our own Karena and Katrina ), but I caught something called Courtney Loves Dallas that I totally fell in love with the other night.

Courtney Kerr was a cast member of Bravo’s ‘Most Eligible Dallas,” and she wrangled her own show out of Andy Cohen, a show called ‘Courtney Loves Dallas,’ a show where she’s looking for love, but her fashion is front and center.  Designers took notice, especially after ‘Most Eligible,’ and started sending her pieces to wear (swoon), and the first episode of the season featured her fabulous existence, her fabulous nail polish, and a not-so-fabulous quest to find a new man.  Oh well.  We’ve all been there.

Courtney-Kerr
Courtney Kerr

At any rate, I found myself inspired to write, inspired to paint my apartment, paint my nails (again), and throw on an outfit that contained 0 Dri-Fit material.  The girl is making money, writing and doing what she loves?  Sign me up!  So once again, check her out, especially if you’re a girl after my own heart.  You love to work hard, but play hard and colorfully too!

No Makeup Monday!

| cheriarmour

Ladies, today we celebrate the beauty that a little sweat brings.  Generally, I don’t like to leave the darn house without some eyeliner on, but some time spent on the elliptical has a way of perking you up even better than some liquid liner and a kohl pot.

First up?

Whitney Makeup
Whitney Saulsberry

Whitney is a camp friend, and if you’ve worked at camp, or you’ve been a camper, you know you never forget or lose touch with a camp friend.  Whitney inspired the whole thing with this stunning photo she posted of herself last week.

Carly Swanson
Carly Swanson

Hey look who it is! We know her! It’s the super famous Carly Swanson! Carly’s still kicking some butt, and has signed up for yet another half marathon this weekend, so we’ll be expecting for her to share some prize monies with us.

Jess Makeup
Jessica Adams

This cutie is an NFL Widow with me. No, our husbands don’t play, but each Sunday last year during NFL season, Jess would knit or read a book, and I would do my nails, while the boys stared intently at the television in general silence for hours. Also, I think Jess is running her first 5k soon, so we may have to go out there and hoot and holler while she crosses that finish line!

Kimmy Makeup
Kimmy Armour

Ugh. Kimmy is one of those irritating freaks of nature who has good skin and looks like she has makeup on, even when she doesn’t. Now if you’ll remember correctly, Kimmy is my sister, and has made a few appearances on the blog. Kimmy is wrapping up her senior year at Auburn, and has lost a few lbs eating healthy, and heading down to Campus Rec to take classes a few times a week.

Mollie Workout
Mollie Cavanaugh

Mollie attended Elon with me for a year, and she rocks. I mean, total package, and we get each other. Mollie love doing nails, she’s hysterical (like comedian hysterical), and has perfect skin. I hope she doesn’t murder me for this, but one of my favorite Mollie moments was when Mollie was dancing in the hallway outside of our rooms, and she attempted to do a split. It didn’t work out and she goes, “Dammit, I forgot how un-flexible I am!”

Jenny DeVanna
Jenny DeVanna

Jenny is like my work sister. We run together, we complain about it, and we have a blast doing it. We’re also polar opposites but we sort of get each other. Jenny’s moving to San Antonio this summer, so the blog may be going on tour next year for a bit 😉

Erica Smith
Erica Smith

Erica is a peach. She’s also a camp friend, and she’s just a sweet girl, through and through. I think we took this photo after a Zumba class, and as you can see, the air conditioning was in tip-top shape that day 🙂

Alexa Terry (Soon-to-Be Wilde)
Alexa Terry (Soon-to-Be Wilde)

This chick needs no intro. She’s beautiful, she’s sweet, she’s got this tiny little speaking voice, and then she sings like Aretha. She’s cool, and guess what? I’m gonna be in her wedding! Here’s Alexa after a little yoga therapy last week!

Cheri Makeup

And finally, this beauty hails from my living room. This is actually challenging for me. I’m one of those folks who like to throw on a teeny bit of eyeliner, some gloss, and mascara for a race, so to be photographed without it is nuts to me! I look about 12, but you know what, that’s what I look like darn it!

So if you’re one of those ladies like me who doesn’t like to go to the gym with at least something of a mask on, next time, skip the extra step, and just hit it fresh-faced. There’s nothing offensive about a bare face, and quite honestly, it doesn’t make a whole lotta sense to be hitting the treadmill with Amy Winenouse (<3) eyeliner and Baby Lips on. Celebrate the beauty that we were born with!

Essie – Butler Please

Image | | cheriarmour

Essie - Butler Please

You guys know by now that for a person who spends like 90% of life in workout clothes, that I’m impossibly addicted to cosmetics, right? Perfume, eyeliner, and nail polish are the biggies.

Do I recognize this makes no sense? Yes. But polish, in particular makes me feel like I run faster. And just cause you work out and want to save the world at the same time doesn’t mean you can’t look pretty, right?

At any rate, for you polish junkies out there, this is Essie, Butler Please that I’m wearing. Give it two coats and a top coat, and you’ll be looking great!