Review: Olay Total Effects Tone Correcting UV Moisturizer + Win $50 Visa GC!!

Spring is approaching pretty fast around these parts, and it’s time for me to evaluate and assess my facial skin regimen. I tend to wear less makeup and lighter moisturizers during the warmer months. It’s time to let my face breathe a bit!

Olay is introducing Olay® Total Effects Tone Correcting UV Moisturizer. Olay Total Effects minimizes the look of spots instantly, helps with the appearance of discoloration and fights the seven signs of aging.


The Seven Signs of Aging include:

1. Line Minimization: Reduces the appearance of fine wrinkles

2. Nourishing Moisturization: For a radiant, healthy glow

3. Tone Enhancement: Balances color and reduces appearance of age spots

4. Gentle exfoliation: Smoothes and evens skin texture

5. Eye Puffiness Reduction: Massages to reduce the appearance of eye puffiness

6. Free Radical Defense: Helps prevent damage to skin’s surface

7. Dryness Defense: Reduces the appearance of dryness

I received the moisturizer around the first of March and I’ve used it for about 14 days.


Pros: I saw an instant brightness and my skin tone evened out each time I used it! My skin was smooth after application. The moisturizer wears well under foundation. The formula includes a built-in primer! I love that it has SPF already in it, so that’s one extra step to skip.




Cons: The medium to deep shade was extremely light to be “deep." “Medium” shade women will be able to wear it. But if you are darker than I am you might feel that it’s too light. The medium to deep shade is actually too light for me. Tinted moisturizers should be just as diverse as foundations. I had to do a bit of work spreading the moisturizer out evenly. Because the color is too light for me, I looked splotchy.
However, after I applied my foundation on top, there were no problems. Maybe a little less color in the formula would make it apply better or maybe you could use a foundation brush or sponge.


Tell me how you save time during your skin-care routine. Answer in the comments to be entered for a chance to win a $50 Visa gift card.

Rules:

No duplicate comments.

You may receive (2) total entries by selecting from the following entry methods:
a) Leave a comment in response to the sweepstakes prompt on this post
b) Tweet about this promotion and leave the URL to that tweet in a comment on this post
c) Blog about this promotion and leave the URL to that post in a comment on this post
d) For those with no Twitter or blog, read the official rules to learn about an alternate form of entry.

This giveaway is open to U.S. Residents age 18 or older. Winners will be selected via random draw, and will be notified by email. You have 72 hours to get back to me, otherwise a new winner will be selected.

The Official Rules are available here.

This sweepstakes runs from 4/9 - 5/16

Be sure to visit the Olay TE page on BlogHer.com where you can read other bloggers' reviews and find more chances to win! While we're on the subject of looking good, you might want to check out the "Looking Your Best" posts in the Life Well Lived section of BlogHer.com. There are some great tips and expert posts!


I was compensated and provided free product for this post.  The opinions expressed herein are my own.

~Rural Style~ Rose Gold Watches...Michael Kors vs. Geneva.....

Lately, I've been seeing alot of fashion bloggers and vloggers showing off Michael Kors oversized watches in all hues but especially in Rose Gold. But, it wasn't til' I was flipping through my April 2012 People Style Watch that I realize how expensive they are! I felt too foolish for some reason! lol!

No shade to the dolls who can shell out $250+ for watch, which isn't that bad. That's actually low end for a "good" watch but I'm not the position for that kind of purchase YET ( Thanks Shanel:)).

Here's Michael Kors' Rose Gold Watch.....

Here's the Oversized Gold Watch from Mr. Kors as well....

About three weeks ago, I stepped in my hometown boutique called Almost Pink and bought this Geneva Rose Goldtone Oversized inspired watch for $20. Perfect for me, I'm the person who forget to wear a watch and often checks my cell phone for the time. lol!

Here's me wearing my "inspired" watch!!! I do love it, makes layering with other bracelets sort of difficult, but when I'm wearing it, the rosey tone is perfect for my skin tone.

Quick story about my watch: There was the "out of towner" in the store when purchased it talking about how Michael Kors and Coach are making these same watches but $200, $300 more. So I put this watch on and went to pay for it and some other items. She was asking where did that rose gold watch go. lol! Truth be told, I only bought it because there was only one and she wanted it.lol! I haven't done that in YEARS!

~Natural Hair~ Wash N' Gos and Why I Don't Do Them.....

Wash N' Go's and the 4c texture.

I don't do wash n' go's EVER but I was possessed last week to try one with a 2oz sample of a product ( that will remain anonymous, because its not the point of this post. *snaps*).

One reason I don't do them is because most of my hair has no defined curl pattern no matter what the product is. I've accepted and embraced that because I can still wear my hair in a lot of different styles...a gel-laded wet haired-air dryed one is not one of them.

When you have kinky, 4b, 4c hair and you want that "curly kit" look and you don't get it matter what the process, its a hard pill to swallow. I've seen comments on hair boards of my fellow 4c'rs threatening to relax their hair because no gel or product will give them the "curly" look.

4c Sistas, we don't HAVE CURLY HAIR. *shrugs*

I went through the same thing, wondering why WNGs didn't "look" a certain way.

Here's last week's pictures of my hair.....First, soaking wet, product raked thru.....

It's a little looser in the back, probably a 4b....

Five hours later, 70 % dry...my hair was indescribable. I put on a satin bonnet and went to bed.....

I salvaged it the next day with a sulfate wash, ACV rinse, leave in and seal and pulled up in a bun. Lesson learned.:)

Dawnyele on YT hit the nail on the head when it comes to WnGs and 4c hair...."It depends on what outcome you are expecting.... Please watch!

~Review~ Laura Mercier Oil Free Supreme Foundation in Toffee Bronze....

Hey Everyone!!

Today, I am going to bless ya' with a foundation review. lol!

Foundation + 80 degree South Carolina= Jamie looking like a melted piece of Rolo Candy.:/

However, it can be done. You can wear a foundation in the summer. I like full coverage foundations. I want to be flawless all year around. That's just my taste. I got the chance to try out Laura Mercier Oil Free Supreme Foundation for the first round sweat in the heat down in these parts known as Spring.

Here we go:

Laura has developed an innovative new oil-free foundation that gives skin the ultimate coverage, comfort and wear for a flawless complexion.

• Oil-free, non-drying, lightweight formula glides on evenly on to skin and does not settle into fine lines.
• Visibly minimizes the appearance of pores for smoother skin.
• Buildable coverage, from moderate to full, evens skin tone.
• Provides a soft matte finish.
• Long wearing formula (lasts up to 8 hours) feels lightweight and comfortable on skin.
• Silicone-free, fragrance-free, non-greasy.

(Pictures of me with the foundation and blush, no setting powder or translucent powder)

Pros:
-The shade that I picked ( from a picture) was a spot on match. Thank God.
-The coverage is buildable...from medium to full, depending on what you use to apply it.
-Feels comfortable on the skin in the hottest of hot.

Cons:
-The price point could be too high for some at $42.
-It needs to applied with a brush or sponge so that application isn't streaky.
-The bottle is glass. I'm known for shattering glass foundation bottles.

Overall:

I really, really love this foundation despite some negatives. I would pay $42 for this foundation because the match is spot on and I get full coverage, medium coverage and somewhat light coverage in one bottle. I have several different foundations that have different coverage that would probably equal up to one bottle of Oil Free Supreme Foundation. Laura Mercier never fails me!

I use E.L.F. Pro Powder Brush and a spritz or two of M.A.C. Fix + to get a flawless medium application like in the photos. I use a regular dry sponge for full coverage.

So....what do you think, cuzins?!??!  Let me know in the comments. Do you have any Laura Mercier favorites?

~Weekend Recap~ The Random Life of a Beauty Addict.... #1

Happy April Fools' Day!! One of my college friends got me sooo good....He posted that he actually knew the person who won the MegaMillions in Maryland ( he lives in Maryland too). I believed it.  He make me SICK!!! LOL!


Welp, in my beauty addicted life sooo much happened this happened weekend in beauty and fashion that I thought I might post about it...maybe every Sunday because I have so much that happens beauty wise: hauls, goodies in the mail, random makeup looks, convos on twitter...and I LOVE ALL OF IT!

Got my Kiss Nails Influenster winnings in the mail. Eh.... but beggars can't be choosers right??!

Shopped my stash on a Saturday night...found various unopened makeup and things I've been looking for. Sometimes its just ridiculous how much unused and forgotten stuff I have. smh.

Excuse my insanely greasy face ( I took this three hours after applying makeup #realtalkskinissues)....I came up with this hair do out of NO WHERE for church. I surprised myself, because I'm really not that good with my own hair but I have no choice but to do my own hair. One day, I will actually trust and will be able to afford a hairdresser for once. However, I really likes my hair today, so much, that as of 10:56 pm...I haven't taken it down. LOL!



I won TheEccentricDiva's FB Giveaway. She's jewelry addicted beyond belief  like myself and she had a sweet giveaway and I was one of the winners...Check me out and my goodies in the vid...:))


Pretty sweet weekend...for me, of course....How was yours?