~Rural Glamour~ Laura Mercier Belle Nouveau Collection + Swatches.....

Hey Everyone!!!

I'm excited to share pictures and swatches of Laura Mercier LE Belle Nouveau Collection. Check out how Ms. Mercier created the collection:

Inspired by Laura’s background as a painter and her love for the Art Nouveau era’s innovative spirit, this line invites you to escape to a dream world of unbelievably beautiful color.  The collection focuses on soft but daring colors that are playful, yet romantic.

Crème Lip Print: Nude Beige, Nude Coral, Nude Pink- Limited Edition (3)

Laura Mercier introduces three limited-edition Crème Lip Print colours for Spring.

The sophisticated, luxurious texture provides smooth colour and applies evenly onto lips. 

Sheer Crème Eye Colour: Mauve Pastel, Grey Pastel, Aqua Pastel- Limited Edition (3)

Laura Mercier introduces three limited-edition Sheer Crème Eye Colours for Spring. The crèmes provide a sheer pop of colour in an easy-to-use container.

Lip Glace: Camellia, Orange Tulip, Lotus Blossom- Limited Edition (3)

Laura Mercier introduces three new limited-edition Lip Glacés for summer. The high-shine, perfectly pigmented lip glosses provide rich, long-lasting colour and a brilliant shine that creates the appearance of fuller lips.

Nail Lacquer: Lavender Cloud- Limited Edition (1) 
Laura Mercier introduces a limited edition Nail Lacquer in Lavendar Cloud. The soft lavender shade is long-lasting, fast-drying and provides chip-resistant colour and intense shine.

Sheer Crème Colour: Copper Glow Veil- Limited Edition (1) 
Laura Mercier’s new Copper Glow Veil Sheer Crème Colour provides a soft veil of colour for a “bonne mine” (healthy glow) effect. The ultra-sheer, blendable formula provides a healthy glow to skin for 8 hours. 

Body Bronzing Makeup- Limited Edition (1)

Laura Mercier introduces the perfect product to help you achieve a golden glow without actually having to be out in the sun. Laura Mercier Body Bronzing Makeup instantly provides the look of, radiant, bronzed skin without a long-term commitment or harmful UV exposure.

Caviar Eye Stick Colour: Turquoise- Limited Edition (1) The new, limited edition Turquoise Caviar Eye Stick Colour provides endless options for a flawless smoky eye with rich colour payoff.

Long Lash Mascara: Bleu- Limited Edition (1)

This is Laura Mercier’s very first venture into the coloured mascara category, and it is exciting, fun, and perfect for summer.  Laura Mercier Long Lash Mascara extends and precisely separates the thinnest, shortest, hard-to-reach lashes by expertly scooping up and lengthening each lash while delivering the right amount of product.

I got the chance to try the nail lacquer in Lavender Cloud and the Lip Glace in Lotus Blossom.....

The lip glace in  Lotus Blossom is a pinky-lavender shade. I'm wearing two coats on my lips, because one coat is really sheer. It would be a great lip gloss on top of a lipstick. Lotus Blossom also has great longevity.

Lotus Blossom without lipstick or liner.....

In this picture, I'm wearing two coats of Lavender Cloud polish. Two coats was opaque but one coat was sheer. I expected something great out of this polish, because its Laura Mercier, but it really seems like any other light lavender shade of polish out there. A dupeable shade would be Essie Lilacism.

I received a free product (or products) for review purposes. I did not receive any form of compensation from the company. All opinions are my own and not influenced in anyway. My reviews are my personal and honest opinions

~Rural Style~ How to Prep For Spring's Busy Event Season!!!!

Thanks to Walgreens for underwriting this post. I was paid as a member of the Clever Girls Collective, but the content is all mine. Visit http://www.discoverbeautywithin.com/.

Spring is more than just allergies and thunderstorms. It is also the season of special events: proms, weddings, cotillions, etc. As much as money we will spend on a hot dress and some great shoes, everything else such as makeup and beauty should be budget friendly as possible! Here are my tips on budget beauty for event season:


1) Visit your local Walgreens to pick up a great smoky eye quad or a fresh red lipstick from for that special night right in the beauty section. So many brands have smoky eye kits and different shades of red so finding the perfect color is so easy. I love the selection that Wet N’ Wild and Milani has for special event makeup.


2) Prep your body by buying a shaver and luminous body lotion so that you will slip so easily in that beautiful gown on your special day. I recently fell back in love with Vaseline Intensive Lotion. It feels amazing on my skin once again!


3) Don’t forget your “clutch kit” : lip balm, hand sanitizer, travel lotion, and tissues. Put mini sizes of all these products in your evening handbag or clutch. Most these items are available in the travel product section of the store.


4) Are you doing your own manicure or pedicure? Everything you need from bouncy brights to nice neutrals in nail polish are available at Walgreens. I just picked up a sweet coral shade by Essie last week! You can also pick up nail files, clippers and pumice stones  for complete nail and foot care.


5) If you are natural hair girl like me, Walgreens has extended their brands for our hair from Shea Moisture to Curls Unlimited and several others with great deals each week. I’m dying to try some of the new brands I’ve seen recently.


6) For those sky high heels, Dr. Scholls inserts and bottom of the shoe grips to make sure you can stay in those shoes all night!

I hope that my tips will help you be gorgeous for whatever event you are attending this spring. Have fun!!

~ 2012 Tax Day Freebies and Deals ( Updated 4/15/2012)!!~

Welp, I done my taxes in February but I love a good freebie!!

I will also update this list as the emails and other info come in for the week.

Arby’s
Visit the Arby’s Facebook page from April 13 to 17 to print a free Value Curly Fries coupon for use on Tax Day and to enter their Tax Relief Sweepstakes.

Bruegger’s
Bruegger’s is selling its Big Bagel Bundle for $10.40 (1040 — get it?) from April 13 to 17. Visit their Facebook page to print the coupon.

Cinnabon 
Receive two free Cinnabon Bites from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. on April 17.

Hooters
Glom onto 20 boneless wings for just $9.99 on April 17 at participating Hooters locations.

Maggie Moo’s Ice Cream & Treatery 
Participating locations are providing a free scoop of new yogurt flavors from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. on April 17.

Marble Slab Creamery
From 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. April 17, participating Marble Slab locations across the country are offering a free scoop of frozen yogurt.

O’Leary’s Restaurant & Pub
Between the hours of 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. on April 17, the Illinois eatery is offering a refund on your meal equal to the amount of tax you would pay for your meal.

Panda Express 
Visit Panda Express on Facebook beginning April 11 and print a coupon for a free single serving of Shanghai Angus Steak.

P.F. Chang’s
Once again, the Chinese-bistro chain is rewarding tax-tired guests with a 15-percent discount on April 17.

Seattle’s Best Coffee
Who wouldn’t enjoy this Tax Day “perk” (wink wink)? Get a free sample of their “Levels” Coffee delivered to your mailbox by visiting the Seattle’s Best Coffee Facebook page. Just like your tax forms, the deadline is midnight on April 17.

Sonic
The popular drive-in chain is cutting prices in half on drinks and slushes throughout Tax Day.

Office Depot  
Ditch all those old records on free-shredding day, courtesy of Office Depot. The deal, running through April 16, includes up to five pounds of paper and 25 single-sided, black and/white copies.

Wholly Guacamole

$1.50 off any Wholly Guacamole product. Go their Facebook to print the coupon!

(from MrFreeSource.com) 

Photo: Source

~Haul~ CVS Haul for only $14!!!!

Took a friendly trip to my local CVS to spend some coupons. Yep, it was Coupon Hussle Day because there was a woman in there husslin' laundry detergent, toilet paper and shampoo standing behind me in line with about 20 coupons! LOL!

I mentioned on Twitter that when I went to CVS on....ummmm....Tuesday.... a $15 off Physicians Formula Skincare coupon printed out. I didn't even know PF had a skincare line, but apparently they do and its not at my local CVS.

So, I overheard the cashier tell a customer that she could use the PF Skincare coupon on REGULAR PF stuff. Gerrrrrlllllll.......

The above picture is what I spent my coupon on. The Mascara was $9.99 and Eye Shadow was $10.99...so I only came off $5 for both.

I also picked up two Wet Wild blushes that I don't own because last week I got a coupon for $3 off any $4.99 WNW purchase....

Then.....lol! I had a coupon for $2 off any Rimmel purchase. I just got a $3.99 eyebrow pencil to try....

Picked up two more Revlon Lip Butters. I'm sort of late to Revlon Lip Butter game. They were BOGO 1/2 and I had a $5 off any Revlon Purchase.

Also, a $5 Beauty Club Coupon printed out for me when I scanned my card at the box. ***does the Bankhead Bounce!!***

Everything with all the coupons came out to be $13.97!!! Owwwww!!!! $42.19 worth of makeup for $13.97.

I'm pretty excited about my purchase. I will be doing my take on my Revlon Lip Butters soon, a review on the mascara, and a look featuring the PF Eye Shadow.:)

~Review~ Maybelline New York Super Stay 10 Stain Gloss in Pink Plush....

I stay scrollin' and trollin' Pinterest. Its nothing but a whole lotta trouble somedays....just like yesterday. lol!

I was "scrollin', trollin' and pinnin' and came across a Pin for Maybelline New York Super Stay 10 Stain Gloss that one of my favorite beauty bloggers was raving about. So, I made a beeline in the "Rolla to CVS and snapped up one of these beauties.

The color I got was Pink Plush. At my CVS, they  are priced at $8.99, which explains why I only got one. O_o

The wand is a open doe foot design that really gives your lips an even coat the first application around. L'Oreal Infalliable lip gloss has a similar design.

Here's my lips with Plush Pink, no top gloss or lip liner....

Say hello to my nose hairs....go ahead..."HELLOOOO!!!" LOL!

Pros:
-Amazing color payoff and beautiful gloss.
-Smells slightly fruity but no overwhelming.
-I love the applicator and design.
-The cap on the tube is a very close match to the gloss if you need to know the color before purchase.


Cons:
-10hrs?? Not unless you don't eat. lol! Seriously, It has some staying power but I ate lunch and all the color was gone, not even a slight tint that I expected to be there.
-$9 is steep for a drugstore gloss. I noticed haven't bought any Maybelline products in a while because they have some of the highest price points in Mass Market Stores and Drugstores. It might be cheaper at Wal-Mart or Target. *Shrugs*

Overall....

I want three more colors: Mauve Dream, Blissful Brown and Cool Coral. However, I will be waiting for a Maybelline sale before I buy any more of them.

So....what do ya'll think...let me know in the comments!:)