Rodan & Fields by Diane Hodge

This post is sponsored by Rodan & Fields by Diane Hodge. I received samples in order to facilitate this post. No compensation was received. All opinions are 100% my own.  Diane provided the products for this giveaway.


My skin problems, like most of us, started when I was a teenager.  Not only did I get terrible acne all over my back, a joy that I got to reexperience when I was pregnant with my daughter, but it appeared on my forehead and chin too.  


After trying all the over the counter solutions we could afford, my mom took me to my first dermatologist.  It was just a few minutes into the meeting that he declared I had inherited some "terrible Irish skin."  He sent us home with some heavy duty samples of skin creams that helped for awhile, but I've always wondered what kind of harsh chemicals I was smearing all over my skin back then.

Seriously? What is that brown line doing there?

Flash forward 20 or so odd years and I still have terrible Irish skin.  It doesn't help that as a runner I subject it to all the elements:  extreme heat, frigid cold, dry and humid air.  Now, I don't suffer so much from acne anymore although that is still an issue, but I do from time to time get very flush - my face will suddenly turn beet red as if I am baking in the sun, but all too often I am just sitting inside as cool as a cucumber.  

A good friend of mine, Diane, a fellow runner and executive consultant with Rodan and Fields, introduced me to their Soothe Regimen.   She herself loves being outside running, gardening, fishing and camping which means lots of time in the elements.  Plus, she's a redhead so she has to be especially careful with her sensitive skin.  The results that her clients have had with this skin care product have been amazing!

I decided to try it out myself to see if it could help with my "terrible Irish skin."

The first thing I noticed that I liked about these products was that everything was labeled with a number so you knew in which order you had to use it. Sounds overly simplisitc, but when you are just not awake in the morning it really takes the guessing out of the routine. The other nice part about them is a little bit goes a long way so your shipment will last awhile.  Lastly, bottle #4 is sunscreen that you put on in the morning.  Now, I HATE sunscreen and I avoid putting it on my face at all costs.  Why?  Because it burns my pores.  I don't know about you, but I don't enjoy wanting to scratch my face off all day because the burning sensation won't stop.  

This sunscreen DOES NOT BURN MY FACE.

That's kind of a big deal for me.

Especially since I run outside as much as I can in nice weather so my face is exposed to the sun.  I don't know about you, but I'm pushing 40 now and I don't need to look any older than I am.

I've just started using this product a few weeks ago so I don't have my own miracle stories to share about how much better my face is on Rodan and Fields' Soothe Regimen, but I can tell it is so much better than any drug store facial cleanser you are going to find.  What sets Rodan and Fields apart is that they are the same Stanford trained dermatologists who started Pro-Activ. Rodan + Fields offers skin care regimens to combat red and discolored skin, acne, aging skin (gasp!) and sensitive skin.

Now if you are interested in trying this wonderful product for yourself you can contact Diane Hodge via Facebook, email (edhodge@swbell.net) or just check out her website,  dhodge2.myrandf.com. There is a Solution Tool there that helps determine what you most need.

If you try an R&F product or if you already use one, please leave me a comment below and let me know what you think of it! 

Winter Running Essentials for Mother Runners

This post may contain affiliate links. Thank you for your support!

Whether we like it or not Winter is Coming (yes, I'm a Game of Thrones nerd).  

Just because it is zero degrees outside doesn't mean you will be stuck on the treadmill for the next several months doomed to a life of monotony of staring at your basement walls or if you are lucky some re-runs on Netflix.  There are several cold weather running items that you can pick up to make cold weather running much more enjoyable so you can step away from the treadmill and out into the world.  

Ever question what you should be wearing when the temperature does dip below 50 degrees?  I've included a handy guide below to help you decide what to wear because there is only one thing worse than being under dressed on a run and that is being OVER dressed.  Nobody wants to have to shed their $40 fleece coat on to the side of the run and hope that it is there when you come back.  

Sugoi Women's Subzero Running Tights

They are a little pricey, but if you consider them an investment then they are a sound one.  I can attest that they kept me warm in 0 degree weather during a 5K in New Hampshire back in February of 2016.  I did add an extra layer for protection since it was dangerously cold that day, but I couldn't have done it in the first place without these tights.

The Soothe Regime from Rodan & Fields

This is more for after your run to keep your face from drying out from the cold air and bone-chilling wind.  Rodan & Fields special formula was specially designed to alleviate dry, chapped, cracked skin and reduce visible signs of redness.  If you are interested in learning more you can contact my friend, Diane Hodge at edhodge@swbell.net, follow her on Facebook or check out her website at:
 dhodge2.myrandf.com  

Balaclava

Whatever you do don't ask me to pronounce this!  But it is a necessity when you are running in cold weather especially if wind is a factor.  I had a version of this balaclava when I ran that above mentioned 0 degree race.  It protected my lungs from the bitter cold.  In fact, when people ask me how I run in such cold weather I tell them I wore one of these.  They are great too because you can pull them down if they get too warm and then easily pull them back up when you regret that decision.  

Convertible Running Gloves

If you are running in below 40 degree weather you'll want to keep your fingers protected.  These gloves are great because they start out with lobster shells for extra protection, but as you warm up you can peel back the lobster claws to reveal 5 fleece lined gloves.  They are wicking and wind resistant too for extra protection.

Lightweight Fleece Running Jacket

I find that no matter how many layers I wear when I run, I always top it off with a lightweight fleece jacket.  Make sure all of the layers that you wear are wicking because even in freezing weather you will be sweating and the last thing you want when it is cold out is to be wet.  That mistake right there can make you really sick.  Get yourself a good one and you won't regret it.



Well, those are my most important winter running essentials. 

What are your's?