Review: Lancome DreamTone

I received a sample bottle of Lancome DreamTone which is the lines ultimate dark spot corrector for the purpose of review. I have suffered from acne and pigmentation issues due to acne and scarring for a very long time. I had not really branched out to try any lightening/dark spot correcting products as I’m in a constant battle of finding the correct line of products that will work on curing my acne. But when I was invited to take part of this campaign, I was delighted. I’ve heard amazing things about the L’Oreal Youth Code Texture Perfector and have wanted to give that a try (I only bring this up because L’Oreal is owned by Lancome).

PACKAGING & PRICE

The product is packaged in a sleek pink to burgundy colored bottle, with a silver lid that you twist to one side to reveal the products dispenser pump. I like this design because you can feel it “click” open and closed and if the top isn’t fully clicked into “open” the product will not dispense. I feel the design itself makes this a relatively safe product to travel with. The bottle itself is a hard plastic bottle, which has a decent weight to it.

Each bottle contains 1.3 fl ounces of product and can be purchased for $98.

PRODUCT

The product is sold in three skin-tone appropriate formulas (fair, medium and dark). Each customized shade targets specific skin issues, while also coming in a shade that is appropriate and unnoticeable on the skin. For fair tones it’s customized to treat dark spots, uneven skin tone and redness.  For medium skin tones it’s customized to treat dark spots, uneven skin tone and sallowness (a yellow-looking complexion). Whereas for dark skin tones it is customized to treat dark spots, uneven skin tone and acne & blemish marks.  It is formulated without the use of parabens, sulfates and phthalates.  According to the brand and its trials conducted these are the results they found:

 

“IMMEDIATELY:

• 74% saw glowing skin*

7 DAYS:
• 70% noticed a more even skin tone*

4 WEEKS:
• 69% saw the appearance of dark spots reduced*

8 WEEKS:
• 78% saw color imperfections reduced*”

The product itself pumps out of the container in precisely just the right amount of product. You’re not left with an overwhelming amount of product. I simply dab the product all over my face and neck then blend it in wit my fingertips.  The color of the product will vary depending on the type (based on your skin tone) you purchased.  The product for medium skin is a pink shade. 

The product does have a fragrance to it, which I find to be completely delightful. It smells of roses and it’s very elegant and girly. I can smell the product on my face for a few minutes after application, but the scent quickly dissipates or perhaps it becomes unnoticeable to me.

Applying the product to my face, I apply a pump to the back of my hand, then use my fingertip to dab the product all over my face for even application. I then use my fingertips and gently massage the serum into my skin. I can wear this with or without makeup. I want to point out that I have oily skin and this does not make me extra oily or shiny. After the product is applied to the skin, you can almost immediately notice a glowy look to the skin. A few minutes after its set, that glow is more apparent. It’s not a shiny glow … it just makes me look more awake, it evens out my skin tone, and truly does tone down the appearance of dark spots/pigmentation issues on my skin. It also leaves my skin feeling luxurious - very smooth and silky to the touch.

PURCHASING

The Lancome DreamTone is available for purchase at select high-end retailers such as Macy’s, Nordstrom, Saks Fifth Avenue, Dillard’s, Bloomingdale’s, Neiman Marcus, Lord & Taylor and Sephora.  The product can also be purchased online at many of these retailers’ websites, as well as through HSN (Home Shopping Network) as well as though the Lancome website.

OVERALL

I am quite enjoying Lancome DreamTone and am finding it makes my face smooth and glowy. I will admit there have been days where I forgot to apply it at night or in the morning, so there have been days where I’ve only used it once.  But nonetheless I have enjoyed seeing the results. I’m not an everyday makeup wearer so I’ve been pleasantly surprised and quite thrilled with the results I see. My face can look tired, particularly when I’m feeling under the weather and DreamTone has completely given my face and skin a whole new life. Concurrent acne troubles aside, I feel my face is brighter, warmer and the focus is less on the current acne breakouts when wearing the product. I also like the fact that I can put this on my face and NOT have to follow up with a full face of makeup.

Since the DreamTone serums are broken down into color profiles to cater to specific skin concerns; I honestly feel as though I would benefit better from a combination of the medium and dark serums. My skin is medium/tan – but I have redness around my cheeks and nose, uneven skin coloring, sallowness (yellow-looking skin). My skin tone also gets darker in the spring/summer months, but regardless of that I also have blemish marks on my face from acne that I would like to give the 1-2-punch. Admittedly two bottles of DreamTone in different shades would be a pretty penny out of my wallet, but I may pay a Macy’s counter a visit while in the mall and ask for a sample and give it a try. If I like the results from the dark serum I’ll gladly purchase a bottle in that shade range.

QUESTION:

Have you tried the Lancome DreamTone?

Disclaimer: I received a sample bottle of Lancome DreamTone for the purpose of review. Even though I received this product for free, I want to note that this does not alter my opinion of the product in any way.

SheSpeaks Lancome DreamTone

A few weeks ago I received an e-mail from SheSpeaks advising that I was selected to take part in a review of the Lancome DreamTone Ultimate Dark Spot Corrector.  I was rather excited because I had been looking at the L’Oreal Paris Youth Code Texture Perfector Serum for a few months.

The Lancome DreamTone is a serum designed to visibly correct dark spots, color imperfections and uneven skin tone. The serum is available to suit 3-skintones – fair, medium and dark with each serum helping to combat skin issues for those particular skin tones.  According to trials run 74% saw glowing skin immediately, within 7-days 70% noticed a more even skin tone, within 4-weeks 69% noticed the appearance of dark spots was reduced and within 8-weeks 78% saw color imperfections reduced.

I am excited to give this a try and see what results I obtain.  I do have acne scarring and dark spots on my face from the sun thanks to acne medication I have been taking.  I’ll be sure to follow-up with a thorough review in a number of weeks.

QUESTION:

Have you tried any dark spot corrector?

REVIEW: L’Oreal Skin Beautifier B.B. Cream

I received a tube of the L’Oreal Skin Beautifier B.B. Cream in the shade 814 Medium for reviewing purposes from SheSpeaks.  Out of all the B.B. Creams on the market the only one I have dabbled into has been the Garnier, which I have enjoyed.  Soon after the B.B. craze spread throughout the drugstore and out of all the brands out there (not those released this year) the one I have heard the most about was the L’Oreal.  Because of the things I have heard I was looking forward to giving this a try.

PACKAGING & PRICE

The product is packaged in a sleek thin tube that contains 1.0 fl oz of product.  The tube has a twist cap which is easy to maneuver.  Prices range store to store, but typically it retails anywhere between $10.99 - $7.96 (the lower price being Wal-Mart, the more expensive being drugstore pricing).

PRODUCT

The look of the B.B. cream when squirted onto your hand looks unlike the other B.B. creams out there.  This one is white with little bead-like things in it. When you apply the cream to your face the little beads (which contain the pigment) “burst” and the color is applied to your face.  The texture of the cream is drier than the Garnier (that I use) and “absorbs” into your face a lot faster.

The packaging claims the B.B. Cream provides four beautifying actions: primes, perfects, hydrates and corrects.  I found it did correct the tone of my face although I didn’t feel it hydrated my face.  Lately, I’ve had a few drier patches on my face (due to my acne treatment and using my Clarasonic) and it accentuated those areas – whereas the rest of my face where I’m typically oily it didn’t make me look crazy oily.

Coverage wise, I’d say this is very sheer – and if I wanted to stretch that I’d say it’s a light coverage.  It did not cover my acne spots; it did not cover any discolorations on my face (dark spots).  It did cover up some of the slight redness I have on my face and it did make my skin one shade (outside of dark spots and acne spots).

I did find that when taking photos with this B.B. cream on my face it does provide a significant white-cast.  Looking at my face in person you would not be able to tell there was anything on my skin but in photographs my face is significantly whiter.

PURCHASING

This can be purchased at Walmart, Target, Walgreens, CVS, Rite Aid, Amazon.com, and Drugstore.com.  As always check your stores availability because all pharmacy/retail locations carry different products geared towards their different audiences.

OVERALL

I found this B.B. cream to be decent. It’s not a product I would run out to replenish if I used it all up – I think my heart lays with Garnier in the B.B. cream department.  The product did a good job neutralizing the color of my face but I would definitely need to use a concealer with this.  Not sure how this would stand up during the summer or on a muggy day – of course with it being so cold where I live I cannot accurately judge that portion of it.  I’d give this a thumbs up.

RATING

B

Received my L’Oreal Magic Skin Beautifier BB Cream

I was invited to take part in a review of the L’Oreal Magic Skin Beautifier B.B. Cream by SheSpeaks.  I opted into the program and received my BB Cream last week.  I was quite excited to try this because out of the drug store BB Creams out there (not including the Garnier) the L’Oreal is the one that many people rave about, particularly for those with combo/oily skin.  I requested the shade medium because typically when it comes to BB Creams medium is typically the proper shade for my skin tone.  The L’Oreal BB Cream is supposed to prime, perfect, hydrate and correct skintone. 

I am going to be using this and posting a full review with my thoughts on the product in the next week or two.  So keep an eye open for that!

QUESTION:

Have you tried the L’Oreal BB Cream?  If so, what were your thoughts?

FREEBIE: Olay Regenerist Skin Care Starter Trio

I received this Olay Regenerist Skin Care Starter Trio kit from SheSpeaks as a thank you for participating in their blogging program regarding StyleUnited.  I received an invitation a few months back to check out StyleUnited's website, make note of what I liked about the website and blog about it.  I did that, sent SheSpeaks my blog post address and received a personal thank you e-mail from their blogger group with note that I'd be receiving a P&G thank you gift for my participation.

I received this in the mail last week.  I wasn't sure what I was going to get and I was excited when I found a box on porch upon returning home from work.  The trio includes a regenerating cream cleaner, deep hydrating regenerating cream and a eye lifting serum.

The trio sells in drug stores and department stores for $30.  Not a bad deal at all for a thank-you freebie!  So, thanks, SheSpeaks!

Style United Review

I joined Style United as part of a SheSpeaks bloggers experience to aid in reviewing the website.  I must say, I am glad I signed up and gave the website a shot.

If you are unfamiliar, Style United, is a website that offers beauty and fashion tips but those tips are geared specifically toward you, your style and your personal preference.  You build a personalized beauty profile based around skin, hair, makeup and fashion.  How is this achieved?  Well, say you want tips on skincare, you answer a few short easy questions and it will provide you with products that will gear toward achieving your desired result.  Since Style United is run by P&G many of the products featured can be purchased at your local drugstore or department store (i.e. Target, Walmart, etc.).  This goes all around the board with fashion, etc., the website particularly catering to the information you put into it.  So it's not telling you to use Product X, when you should be using Product Y.  It's giving you fair examples, based on the information provided as to what your path (if chosen to follow) should be.  Same with Fashion, except it will show you outfits or pieces that they feel would be flattering to you.

I realize that many of us (particularly myself included) know what we are supposed to do to preserve our skin, etc., but we don't always use the tools and tips that we've been told.  I find the information presented on Style United gives you a gentle nudge in the right direction.  Reading things and wanting to make a change for the better is the way to go in my opinion.  Sometimes I have a thick skull and it takes me a few times to get it right.  But once you've got it, you're good as gold.

One thing I really like about the website is while building your style profile the website gives you little blurbs of information on the sidebar based on what you are selecting.  Example if you say your main concern is acne, it reassures you that you are not the only one and acne is pretty common amongst a percentage of women.

One of the coolest things, and one of the things I wish I had a webcam for, was you are able to have a live 1:1 webcam chat with a beauty consultant through the website.  I mean how amazing is that!?  They are available to suit almost everyone's schedule, the consultants being available: Mon – Sun: 1:00 – 9:30 pm EST (minus major holidays of course).

If you haven't heard of or joined Style United, I would suggest you definitely check into it, it's a pretty cool website.  If you are interested in joining, check here for a chance to win a $500 gift certificate.

Disclosure: I am receiving a complimentary gift from P&G/SheSpeaks, but my opinions are my own

Image is not mine, it belongs to Style United

SheSpeaks FREEBIE: Simple Light Moisturizer!

I received a full-size Simple skin care Hydrating Light Moisturizer from SheSpeaks! How did I receive this freebie? I signed up to be part of their Simple Skin Care program, where I answered a few questions then went into a local Walgreen's to see if the beauty advisor in Walgreen's could provide me with some background information on the product. Upon going into Walgreen's, the beauty advisor was not there, but there was a kid working in the department stocking shelves, etc., and unfortunately he wasn't familiar with the product and just gave me a pamphlet off the display which had a $1 off coupon attached to it. Upon going home, I checked off that I completed the task and a 2 question survey. I answered it and was e-mailed that in a few days I'd receive a questionnaire to fill out based on my experience. All I had to do was type up a 500 character or less scenario as to what I experienced and submitted it -- then was told in 3-5 weeks I'd receive my free product as a thank you.

According to the paperwork received, they were sending out full-sized light moisturizer, moisturizing facial wash or the smoothing facial scrub. I personally own all of these products and love each and every one of them - so I'm glad to have a backup moisturizer now!