Tuesday, February 24, 2015

beauty in review: Dove Dry Spray Deodorant

hi all! I feel obliged to let you in on a little beauty obsession of mine: I love, adore aerosol deodorants. I don't know what it is about them, but I've always had a soft spot in my heart (and pits) for them.

more honesty: I've used the same spray for the last 8 years. It's always worked so well, I couldn't give it up. What can I say? I'm definitely a creature of habit. I usually stick to the same products, but luckily I'm also not afraid to try anything once. 

which brings us to a new favorite product of mine: Dove's Dry Spray Deodorant.



Here are the specs:

-it's a spray. Press down the top button, 6 inches(ish) from your pits and mist away.
-but it's a dry spray. Most spray deodorants go on wet, and then you're awkwardly waiting in your room naked, with arms above your head for the 30 seconds it takes for your underarms to dry. Supposedly, you don't have to do it with Dove's spray. I've never heard of such a thing. Hey, I don't know how they do it (gypsy magic, probably) but I'm down to give it a try. 
-it protects for 48 hours. It says it's supposed to keep you dry and smelling fresh for 48 hours. Which is a pretty long time, no?
-it comes in 6 different scents/formulas. What I love about Dove products is that they offer so many different scents, and types of deodorants based on your preferences and needs. 



ok, it sounds pretty solid, right? So how did it hold up?

-it's definitely a dry spray, but more of a pilly-dry. The spray goes on dry, that part is true. But it pills (like a lived-in sweater would) once you put your arms down. Maybe I was just putting on too much; but I feel like if I put on any less, it wouldn't be enough.
-it (might) protect for 48 hours. The deodorant held up really well throughout an entire work day, and a 4.5 mile run. It definitely doesn't keep you bone dry like a prescription-strength (duh) but I think it kept me dryer than any other Dove products. With the way I sweat, I don't think it would hold up for a full 48 hours... But then again, I probably wouldn't go more than 24 hours without reapplying. 
-it smells pretty damn good. I tried the "nourished beauty" and it smelled powdery fresh, but not like baby powder. Like how you'd expect a Swedish, blonde haired super model would smell like. So... really good.
-it left me fairly well moisturized. Most spray deodorants I've come across dry out my skin if I don't swap them out for a moisture bar every few days. I've been using this for 3 weeks, and I haven't had any dry/itchy skin since. 


overall, I'd definitely have to recommend Dove's Dry Spray Deodorant. It kept me dry, smelling great, and still well moisturized. I'd call that a win-win-win. So congrats Dove! You have a new convert.

has anyone else tried it? How'd it hold up for you?

stay dry and stay fresh, lovelies.

xo,

adrienne. 

Thursday, February 19, 2015

dull-day thursday.

it's crazy how beautiful days can still be so dull. 


here in Michigan, we've had one of the coldest February's on record. And most winter days in Michigan are cloudy, cold, and 50 shades of boring.

today, though, is different. It's sunny, and the freshly fallen powder is still stark white, untouched by the salt and grime from the plows. The birds are even chirping. So why am I in such a dull funk? 

i hate being in such a mood. It's not that I'm sad, angry, confused, or anything like that... But I'm not happy, motivated, or elevated to a positive place. I'm stuck in neutral. 

maybe I'm just over winter; I'm ready for warm air, green grass, and being able to go on a run without wearing 50lbs of winter gear. Or maybe it's just one of those neutral days before I shift up to high gear. Or maybe it's nothing at all, maybe it's just a Thursday. 

either way, I still know that I'm super lucky, crazy blessed, and happy to be here. And that coffee can always turn my day around. 

happy Thursday, lovelies. 


xo,

adrienne. 

Tuesday, February 3, 2015

the perfect pre-post workout vegan smoothie.

mornings are hard. Like really hard. Even for us morning people. It's hard when even just waking up on time feels like an accomplishment, let alone dragging your derriere to the gym/studio/trail all before you shower, make breakfast, and head to work.

unfortunately, when sleep is in high demand and low supply, I start to cut corners. And those corners are usually with breakfast. I hate feeling hungry, especially after I've gotten my morning workout in (or more probable, before my afternoon run). And I hate feeling tired, even when I got 8+ hours of good solid sleep. But a certain something easy, tasty and fast makes my mornings a smidge easier: my hybrid morning perfect pre-post vegan smoothie.

now it's equal parts smoothie, iced coffee, and protein shake so it tackles all of the bases you'll need to get your day moving in a healthy and whole way. Caffeine fix? Check. Protein quota? Double check. A serving of fruit? Triple check. Now that that's all covered... Try it out!

ingredients:

-8oz chilled double brewed coffee OR 1 serving instant espresso in 8oz of water


-1 scoop vanilla vegan protein powder (Vega Sport is my up most favorite! Vegan, gluten free, dairy free, soy free, 100% amazing). Don't worry, any other protein powder will work. 

-1 tsp. coco powder

-1 large banana

-1.5 cups ice




1. Throw all of the ingredients in your blender, in the order above. The order is important: the weight of the ice and banana helps create a smoother blend. Trust me, I've got your back on this one.



2. Blend until desired consistency. If it's not blending smoothly, feel free to add in a little almond/coconut/rice milk.



3. Pour into your cup, and drink up, butter cup!






as I said, mornings are hard no matter what. Hopefully this little recipe makes them suck just a bit less. Oh, and don't forget to tell me what you think!



veg on, lovelies.

adrienne.