Product Review: Sally Hansen Nail Polish Strips

Question: Zebra nails...fashion forward or fashion faux pas?

Hopefully not a faux pas, because I was rocking 'em for about a week.


I tried out Sally Hansen Salon Effects Nail Polish Strips for the first time a couple weeks ago and thought I would write up my review of them.
If you haven't heard of them, they are pretty self-explanatory: stick-on nail polish. These are different from stick-on fake nails because they are super thin and don't add thickness or length to your nails.

What I Liked:

-The fun designs that they come in. You can't exactly paint zebra print on your nails (well, at least I can't) so it's a fun change to be able to have a print or design on the nails. I got a couple of compliments on the fun nails so that's always a good sign.


-The fact that they're supposed to last longer than regular polish (up to 10 days). However, mine only lasted about a week but I think that could be more my fault for not applying them correctly.

-No dry time. I hate hate hate waiting for nails to dry so that was a nice change.


What I Didn't Like:

-The price tag. At $8.50 per box, which is only enough for one application, they are definitely more pricey than buying nail polish for the same price and reusing it over and over. That being said, they still cost less than a manicure, so I guess it's worth it for a once in a blue moon treat.

-Application was trickier than I expected. I've never been good with tasks that require a steady hand and these definitely need that in order to make sure you're sticking it on in the correct place and/or lining it up with your cuticles. They looked far from perfect if you looked closely, but the zebra print kind of helped hide that fact. Also, it took me just about as long as it does to do my nails the old fashioned way (base coat, 2 coats polish, top coat) but that's probably just because I sucked at it.


So basically, I liked 'em but I didn't love 'em. I might buy them again but not anytime soon. It would be a good stocking stuffer for someone like me though (hint, hint!). :)

Have you tried the Salon Effects Nail Strips? What did you think?

This Week in Fitness

First, let me say that this week was a little weird because A) I am still recovering from my injury, B) I came down with a cold halfway through the week, and C) Alex's parents and sister came in town on Thursday to visit us for the long weekend. All things considered, I'm happy with my overall accomplishments this week though! It could have been a lot worse. :)

Monday 5/23: 4-Week Fat Blaster Workout (Weeks 1 & 2, Monday) including the cardio interval workout

Tuesday 5/24: Jackie Warner X-treme Timesaver Training (see review below)

Wednesday 5/25: 5.6 mile run/walk. (It went something like this: run 1.5 miles, walk .5 mile, run 1 mile, walk .5 mile, run 1 mile, walk the rest of the way home (about a mile). I really tried to take it easy and stop running as soon as I felt my ankle/foot start hurting. I was also dealing with feeling like I was coming down with a cold, so that was another reason not to push it too hard.)

Thursday 5/26: Sick/Rest Day

Friday 5/27: 4 mile run/walk with my sis-in-law (Hi, Andrea!!) who was visiting (I was sick with a cold and she was adjusting to the high altitude so we just took it easy. We ran the first mile, walked half a mile, ran half a mile, and then walked the rest.)

Saturday 5/28: Sick/Rest Day

Sunday 5/29: Sick/Rest Day

Fitness DVD Review of the Week: Personal Training with Jackie: X-treme Timesaver Training

So I ordered a couple of new workout DVD's from Amazon last week. One of them was the Jackie Warner Power Circuit Training DVD, which I had done via Exercise OnDemand a couple of times and LOVED. Unfortunately, it's no longer available on EOD so I broke down and ordered it because I like it so much. For only $7.99, I figured it was worth it!

I also ended up impulse purchasing another one of Jackie's DVDs, X-treme Timesaver Training. I had never tried this one before, but since I loved Jackie's other DVD so much I was hoping for the best.

X-treme Timesaver Training is only 30 minutes, as opposed to the almost hour-long Power Circuit Training. Jackie has you do compound movements that combine many different muscles for 1 minute each.

It. Was. Tough.

This DVD is definitely not for beginners! I was using 3-pound dumbbells the whole time (for reference, I usually use 5-8 lbs on most DVDs) and still dying. Plus, a lot of the moves are extra challenging since they combine several different things at once. It requires a lot of balance and concentration!

I liked that there were no repeat circuits of moves during this workout. A lot of times I get really discouraged when I'm doing a move that I hate and I know I'm going to have to do another round of it again before I'm done. This workout solves that problem by just having you push your hardest through one solid minute of each move, and then you move on!

That being said, some of the moves do incorporate the same things but in different ways. For example, this workout has a TON of lunges but she incorporates the lunges into different compound movements and combinations. It burrrrrrned! But if it gets me a killer butt, then it's worth it! :)

Overall, I really like this DVD and would recommend to anyone at around an intermediate to advanced fitness level as a great strength training workout!

March Favorites

First, let me preface this post by saying that I PROMISE there are some great food-related posts coming soon to Cupcakes and Combat Boots! I've been cooking as normal, but for some reason I've been procrastinating doing the posts. I've made it my goal to get three or four recipe posts done in the next few days so stay tuned!

Now, moving on, I thought I'd share some of the new things I've been loving lately. These posts always give me great ideas when other people do them, so hopefully they'll do the same for you!

1. Chia Seeds

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Chia Seeds are a great source of Omega-3's (even better than flax seeds), high in fiber, and have many other health benefits which you can read about here. I'd been wanting to try chia seeds for a while now but could never find them in stores (though I believe they do carry them in Whole Foods), so I bit the bullet and just ordered a package of them through Amazon. Since receiving them in the mail, I've been loving adding them to smoothies, oatmeal, yogurt, pancakes, etc.

2. Neutrogena Naturals Fresh Cleansing + Makeup Remover

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In this post back in January I wrote about loving Garnier Moisture Rescue face wash, but I started to change my mind about it after using it for a while. Yes, it did keep my face moisturized, but I couldn't stand the residue that it left behind on my face and the fact that it didn't do a very good job of getting my eye makeup off. I like cleaning my face and having it LOOK AND FEEL CLEAN, not have a layer of gunk leftover. I was on the lookout for a face wash that didn't leave a residue, but also didn't strip my natural oils too much. So I stumbled upon this new Neutrogena Naturals line of products and immediately plunked down the $6.99 to try the "Fresh Cleansing + Makeup Remover" face wash. And I LOVE IT!!! It's exactly what I was looking for (removes makeup, leaves me feeling fresh and clean but not dry), AND it smells fantastic!

3. Suave Professionals Dry Shampoo

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I love the idea of dry shampoo, but I hadn't been really impressed with the products I'd tried in the past. They left a gummy texture and usually a white residue in my hair that really didn't make my hair look or feel clean. Then I spotted this Suave Professionals version of dry shampoo and decided it was worth the $2.99 price tag to give it a shot. My verdict is: TWO THUMBS UP! I couldn't believe how good it smells (it reminds me of candy) and it doesn't leave any weird texture or white residue in my hair. Seriously, buy this stuff!

4. Intak by Thermos water bottle

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I've always been bad about drinking enough water, but as part of my new healthy living routine I decided to make drinking water a priority. In order to kick start my new priority, I bought an intak by Thermos water bottle (found it at Target). Turns out having a new water bottle DOES help me drink more water! I love this thing! It has a lid that snaps securely shut and locks so I can toss it in a bag and not worry about it leaking. It also has a "water intake gauge" on it where you can turn the dial each time you fill up the bottle so you can keep track of how much you're drinking throughout the day. Oh and the all-time best thing about it? It's dishwasher safe! :)

5. Tabbed Socks

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This is kind of a random one, but I swear by athletic socks with the little extra tabs on the back! Why? Because I've always had issues with my ankle socks falling down as I run or workout and then I end up with major blisters on the backs of my heels. Not fun! But these socks solve that problem because the tab causes the sock to stay put above your shoe and not work its way down your heel. I buy my tabbed socks from Target (the ones pictured above aren't the exact ones I wear, just the closest picture I could find) and they're pretty cheap!

There you have it! What are your March favorites??

Oh, and one thing I'm NOT loving lately? This potential "government shut down" that would mean our troops won't get paid for who knows how long (but still expected to report to work as usual). This is TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE to me. Our troops are putting their lives on the line everyday and they should be the LAST people to have their pay cut off. President Obama needs to get his act together and PREVENT this from happening, instead of continuing to reject solutions.

End of vent.

Workout Review: Jackie Warner's Power Circuit Training

Yes, another fitness-related post. What is wrong with me!?

I've just been feeling especially motivated to work out lately....maybe it's the fact that it's the New Year or maybe it's that I'm unemployed right now (and therefore have nothing better to do), but I am really becoming a bit of a fitness junkie!

And I must say, I'm seriously liking the results. I've dropped 5 pounds and I just feel overall more toned and tight than I have in a long time!

A lot of that "tightness" and "toning" I think I have to thank this lady for:

I had heard good things about this workout DVD and was contemplating purchasing it, but then I discovered Exercise OnDemand. And whaddayaknow, they were currently offering this workout for free! Awesommmme! I love when things work out like that.

So I've done her full-body power circuit workout a couple of times now and let me tell you, this is no joke! It is mostly all strength-training (look elsewhere for cardio) done in circuits based on the muscle group that you're working (such as hamstrings, shoulders, etc.). Each muscle group consists of three different exercises, and then you "Power Burn" through all three of them again for a shorter period of time. "Power Burn" is appropriately named, because I certainly felt the burn! The whole workout takes about 40 minutes to complete.

For this workout you will need one or two sets of dumbbells (you could do it with one but I like having two so I can switch from heavier to lighter on some more challenging exercises). I used 5 and 8 pound dumbbells and that seemed just right for me. If you're just starting out with strength training, I would go with 3 pounders. :)

This really is a great strength workout! I loved that Jackie didn't just use all the "typical" strength moves, like pushups, tricep kickbacks, etc. A lot of her moves were new to me, but I liked them even better than the traditional moves.

My Exercise OnDemand says that Jackie's Power Circuit workout is only available until 2/21, so I may just have to buy it after that.

Side Note: As much as I love Exercise OnDemand, sometimes you have to sift through a lot of crap to get to any of the good stuff. I mean, sorry, but "Booty Roll" and "Booty Pop" aren't exactly my cup of tea for a workout.

In case you're interested, here is my general workout schedule right now:

Monday = Run/Walk intervals on the treadmill for 40 minutes

Tuesday = Jackie Warner's Power Circuit Training

Wednesday = Run/Walk intervals on the treadmill for 40 minutes

Thursday = Jackie Warner's Power Circuit Training OR one of my other DVD's (30 Day Shred, The Firm: Get Chisel'd, etc.)

Friday = Run/Walk intervals on the treadmill for 40 minutes

Saturday = free/rest day

Sunday = Workout with Hubs....usually at the gym on Post

I'll also throw in some yoga about 2-3 times a week...typically just something I find on Exercise OnDemand.

Keep in mind I get bored very easily, so this is a VERY loose schedule. I'll often plan on doing one thing but then that day I just decide to do something else. As long as I'm working out in one way or the other, I figure it doesn't matter what I do! :)

Anyway, sorry to go on and on about working out. I know this is out of character for my blog, but it's what I'm most passionate about at the moment. Hope I didn't bore you too much!

Have you ever done at-home workouts? If so, what is your favorite?

Turning my Frown Upside Down

Moving can be kind of a downer, especially if you're moving far away from all that you know. But there are some things that are helping to turn my frown upside down...

1. An excuse to drink Starbucks every morning, because the coffee maker is en route to Arizona.

Tall coffee with a pump of Cinnamon Dolce syrup, leave room for cream please! I'm becoming a Starbucks ordering pro!

2. The fact that I can still spend 30 minutes a day with my beloved Jillian DVD, even in a furniture-less house.

I purposely kept my 30 Day Shred DVD, hand weights, DVD player and yoga mat back from the movers for this very purpose. :)

3. My current nail color

Russian Navy by OPI...it makes me happy everytime I see my nails!

4. The fact that we can still have delicious home cooked dinners, even with the bare minimum of kitchen tools and food.

Last night's Beef & Veggie Spaghetti. It may not look pretty, but it was so satisfying.

5. The fact that our air mattress is SO MUCH more comfortable than I ever anticipated. I was DREADING the nights of sleeping on an air mattress, but it turns out it's not nearly as bad as I thought.

I highly recommend this brand of air mattress. It really is EXTRAORDINAIRE! :)