Lancome Visionnaire Initial Review

Lancome Visionnaire is a new product recently launched and I was given the opportunity to sample it before it became available on the market.  This is my first experience with a Lancome face product besides their eye makeup remover, which I really like.  It's been 12 years in the making and the science behind it is really quite interesting, plus they have 20 international patents!  This molecule can go 5 layers deep into the epidermis, making it a completely new and different formula from any other company.  From their website, "Much more than a wrinkle-corrector, our 1st skincare capable of fundamentally re-creating more beautiful skin. The first skincare with LR 2412, a molecule designed to propel through skin layers. On its path, it triggers a cascading series of micro-transformations.  The result: on the surface, wrinkles and pores are visibly corrected, imperfections like signs of UV damage and acne marks appear diminished.'
Sounds like a miracle in a bottle!  Even though I'm into natural skin care I was too tempted by this product to not give it a shot.   It comes in a 1 oz sleek pump bottle and retails for $84.


The pump disperses about a pea sized amount and I have been using 2 pumps for my entire face.  They suggest using it morning and evening and you can follow it with a cream if needed.  It's safe for use around the eye area and with products containing SPF, and you can wear it in the sun without diminishing its effectiveness.  It claims that with twice daily use, wrinkles, pores, and sun/acne damage will be diminished in about 6 weeks and continue to get better with prolonged use.  The product has the silky texture of a thick serum and is a pearly white shade.  It does take a few minutes to absorb but once it does it does not leave a sticky or shiny residue and you really can't tell that you have anything on. The first few times I used it it made my face slightly red but not feeling tight or uncomfortable.  I easily layered my face serum and daily lotion over it and the products absorbed well on top of the Visionnaire.  The only thing I don't like about it so far is the scent which is kind of flowery and, for lack of a better description, girly.  It does linger on the skin for a few minutes after applying the product but it's not enough to make me not want to use it.  I've been using it for five days and so far I have not had any breakouts but I have experienced very slight dryness around my nose/chin, but that's normal for me when I start using a new product.  I have seen a difference in my skin tone and texture, which is looking very healthy, smooth, and even-toned.  I had a blemish when I first started and I noticed it went away a lot faster than normal and the redness of it was reduced.  So far I have not noticed a change in wrinkles/pores, but I will do a full update when I've been using it twice a day for the recommended six weeks.  I am only going to stop use if I notice any breakouts as I did with Estee Lauder's Even Skin Tone Illuminator, which is basically touted as the same type of product. Overall so far I'm very impressed with it and if it does what it says it will, I'm looking forward to smoothed out wrinkles, small pores, and a more even skin tone.

Update - I have been using this twice a day for almost two weeks and my results are excellent!  I have experienced no breakouts and my skin is much more clear and even toned than it was before I started.  My pores do appear smaller, but it's too soon to tell on the minor wrinkles I have.  This product absorbs well and once it sets in after about a minute it feels like you have nothing on.  It's very easy to layer other products or makeup on top of it.  It seems to gently exfoliate when you put it on and has been keeping pore blockages at bay.  I use it around my eyes and have experienced no irritation.  When I wake up in the morning my skin looks even, bright, and overall very healthy.  I am excited to keep using it and see how my skin looks after 6 weeks!


**Don't forget to enter my giveaway for a Desert Essence Throughly Clean Oil Control Lotion!! : http://prettylightsbeauty.blogspot.com/2011/07/desert-essence-throughly-clean-oil.html **

My Summer Essentials

I am definitely the type of girl who changes up my makeup and products depending on the season.  In the winter I like jewel tones and matte skin, in the summer I prefer shimmery bronzes and and a healthy glow.  Now that summer's here, I want to share with you my favorite summer beauty essentials and the products I've been reaching for lately.


1. Napoleon Perdis Protege Lip Gloss 
This gloss is a limited edition item and was gifted to me through Meg's Makeup.  After getting it, I bought another off eBay because I loved it so much!  It's a beautiful perfect sheer peach that's gorgeous on any complexion.  It has a pleasant minty flavor and a light, non-sticky texture.  This works perfect with a peachy blush or bronzer and shimmery nude eyes and although it's a gloss it does have some staying power.


2. Origins Sunkissed Color Kit
This adorable kit contains Rose Dust Brush-On color (matte bronzey-rose), eyeshadows in Twinkle (shimmering white) and Copper Penny (shimmering sandy copper), and a Mini Lip gloss Duo: Caramel Candy Liquid Lip Color & Mangotini Liquid Lip Shimmer.  Lately I've been reaching for this daily because the shades compliment each other beautifully and I love the look of the brush-on color on my tanner complexion.  The shade doubles as a bronzer/blush in my opinion and is on the sheer side, so it's very versatile. The shadows also go well together and are sheer with a very summery shimmer.  


3. Fekkai Beach Waves and Zero Humidity Frizz Control 
Both of these Fekkai products are absolutely perfect for the sticky months.  Beach Waves is the first product I've used that gives me pretty, imperfect waves without being sticky or heavy.  I just spray it in when my hair is dry or almost dry, scrunch and twist a few sections and away I go.  The Frizz Control is fantastic for particularly humid days and really helps control flyaways and frizz while adding shine.  By far my two favorite summer hair products.


4. Circle of Friends Leilani's Halakahiki Lotion 
This natural lotion is actually made for children as after-sun care and I love it for its soothing ingredients including Grape seed oil, Vitamins A, D, and E, and Aloe Leaf.  It also helps that it has a fantastic smell - think tropical grape kool aid!  This lotion is light, non greasy, soothes skin and absorbs quickly.  It comes in a pump bottle which makes it easy to quickly apply as needed.  I keep it on my nightstand and when I put it on before bed I love falling asleep to the smell. Perfect for little kids and big kids, like me!


5. Skinceuticals Sheer Physical UV Defense SPF 50 
This is a great sunscreen for delicate areas like the face, neck, and chest where you need protection but don't want to wear anything heavy and pore-clogging.  The ingredients are activated by shaking the bottle so they are evenly distributed.  The lotion itself is very lightweight, absorbs quickly, leaves no residue, and provides a matte finish.  In addition, it offers broad spectrum UVA/UVB protection - what could be more perfect than that in the summer!

6. Tarte Park Avenue Princess Mineral Powder Bronzer 
I've had this for over a year and it still looks brand new - I must admit that I love how pigmented Tarte's products are and that they last forever.  This is a perfect matte waterproof bronzer and works great on fair skin without giving  the dreaded Snooki vibe.  I use the '3' method on both sides of my face for the perfect bronzed look, then apply a bit of blush on the apples of my cheeks for a healthy summer glow.  I really love that the coverage is very buildable depending on your bronzing needs. For a cheaper alternative but that has less natural ingredients, check out Mark's Bronze Pro bronzing powder.


What are your favorite summer essentials??

Review - Estee Lauder Idealist Even Skintone Illuminator

Through a sampling promotion I received a full-sized bottle of Estee Lauder's new Idealist Even Skintone Illuminator to test out and was so excited - a product that in just 2 weeks can fade acne scars, sunspots, discolorations and redness and leaves skin clear and bright?!  Sounds right up my alley because every time I get a blemish it takes forever to heal on my fair skin and the marks make me self conscious.  I recently switched to Natural Bliss skin care so I was a bit worried to use this non-natural product after the great results I've been getting from a natural line, but for the sake of beauty (and you!) I decided to give it a shot.  


The directions say to use it twice a a day for the first 12 weeks after cleansing and follow with a moisturizer, then once in the morning after that.  The first week I started using it I had just returned from camping and had a few blemishes from not doing my regular skin care routine so it was a perfect time to test this to see if it faded the spots more quickly.  I started using it morning and night followed by an application of passion fruit oil (I use that instead of a regular moisturizer nightly) and during the day I followed it with a facial serum.  It has a thicker texture, less of a serum and more like a light moisturizer, and instantly has a brightening and shimmering effect on the skin - something you may not like if you don't wear foundation, as it's not a natural look at all.  For the first week or so I really liked it.  I was waking up to a more even skin tone, my red spots seemed to be fading more quickly, and my pores appeared smaller.  Then I started to notice that I was breaking out - including an acne cyst on my cheek, which I rarely get - and had more clogged pores than usual.  Thinking it was still just from not following my regular routine the week before, I kept using it.  Suddenly it seemed like every day I had a new blemish, then I would apply the Illuminator to fade the spot, and then I'd get another blemish somewhere else!  The rest of my skin looked great though - very even, and yes, illuminated and bright just as promised.  After giving it another week, about 3 total, I finally stopped using it.  I went back to my usual routine and my skin is finally getting back to normal and I have had no new blemishes since I stopped using it.  The clogged pores have also cleared up.  So sadly although I really wanted this product to work for me, it didn't - so there it sits 1/4 empty in my cabinet with my other chemical-filled castoffs.  I think that on someone who isn't used to natural skin care only and has normal/not sensitive skin this product would work great, but with my recent natural obsession my skin is used to gentler ingredients.  I'm going to stick with my passion fruit oil nightly because it does about the same thing as far as reducing pore size/fading spots/brightening as this but is also organic, doesn't break me out, and costs a lot less.


Overall:B-
Pros: Instantly brightens, makes skin even toned, reduced pore size, helped fade spots more quickly
Cons: Breakouts and clogged pores!  May not be good for those with sensitive skin or who use more natural skin care
Get it: 
http://www.esteelauder.com/product/689/14025/Idealist/index.tmpl , $58/1 oz., $85/1.7 oz.


**Don't forget to enter my giveaway for a Desert Essence Throughly Clean Oil Control Lotion!! : http://prettylightsbeauty.blogspot.com/2011/07/desert-essence-throughly-clean-oil.html **

Review & Giveaway - Desert Essence Throughly Clean Oil Control Lotion

Recently I was able to sample Desert Essence Throughly Clean Oil Control Lotion which is an all-natural moisturizer containing organic chamomile and lavender oil and tea tree oil, as well as other great natural ingredients .  The description says it:


• Hydrates oily/combination skin without clogging pores
• Helps reduce oil and blemishes
• Leaves skin velvety smooth shine-free

Before trying this lotion I was using Kiehls Ultra Facial Moisturizer at night as needed but no moisturizer during the day.  While I like Kiehls I feel like it is a bit too greasy for daytime use, particularly under makeup.  This Desert Essence lotion was a refreshing product to try during the daytime.  It has a pleasant natural smell that doesn't bother me at all, but if you don't like the smell of tea tree oil then you might not like it.  The lotion itself is a bit thicker than what I'm used to in a facial moisturizer but absorbs/dries very quickly and a dime sized amount is all you need.  After applying it left my skin with an almost 'sticky' matte finish that was very smooth.  The lotion also doubles as a makeup primer - when I use this, I do not feel the need to wear a separate primer as this smooths skin and the slightly sticky texture helps adhere foundation and keep it in place.  Since it's summer my skin does have a tendency to get oilier in the heat and throughout the day this does a good job of keeping shine and oil at bay.  I think this is also a great moisturizer for women who don't wear makeup because it provides a matte finish and also helps even out the skin tone.  Since I've used it I have not had any blemishes or pore blockages that I can attribute to it so it does what it says it will in reducing oil and blemishes.

Overall: A

Pros: All natural, tea tree oil aids in making this a calming and soothing lotion, doubles as a primer, controls oil and shine, does not block pores

Cons: Possibly the smell if tea tree oil bothers you

Get it: http://www.desertessence.com/skin-type/oilycombination/thoroughly-clean-oil-control-lotion , $12.99 for 4 oz.

I am giving away 1 bottle of this to a lucky follower!  
To win you must:
1. Google friend connect me
2. Leave a comment with your favorite skin care product
3. Send an email to: prettylights2 @ hotmail . com with the name you left the comment as as the subject




4. For an extra entry, invite a friend to enter the contest too and leave another comment!
5. For another entry, tweet the following and comment again with your Twitter username: ' prettylights beauty blog is giving away a Desert Essence Oil Control Moisturizer, enter here! http://tinyurl.com/3ky4mal Pls RT! #giveaway #free ' and leave another comment



The winner will be chosen using random.org, then I will reply to your email for your address.  The contest runs until 12:00 am on August 30th.  Thanks for entering and good luck!