Dreaming of Dreamtone

Who doesn't dream of a flawless skin tone? I personally battle with some lovely leftover blemish marks and general redness on my face, so was all gung-ho to try this new release from the skincare giant Lancôme.

First impressions? I love the ombre pink bottle, and the twist top open is a nice touch that I find really easy to use, and it keeps the application hygienic as well. This luxe serum targets dark spots (buzz term of late, don't ya think?) and comes in 3 variations for different skin tones/areas of concern. 

-Dreamtone 1 is targeted at fair complexions and is supposed to fight redness.
-Dreamtone 2 is for medium skin tones and fights sallow skin
-Dreamtone 3 is for dark skin and targets blemish marks.

I personally take these variation types with a grain of salt, and was sent Dreamtone 2 despite my very fair complexion. I was dubious about this serum, but also quite excited at the thought of using something so lovely and had hopes that it would help improve my skin overall. I am so pleased to say with hand on heart that I found this to make a noticeable difference in my skin, and it not only fought any dullness and redness but also helped fade some of my stubborn acne marks. Now you see why I think all 3 serums are very similar!

I generally use one or two pumps of this at night as I apply it all over my face, and the pale rose coloured serum smells luxe and floral which I am personally a fan of. Those who are sensitive to scents like this should try to nab a sample before splurging for a bottle thought, just in case. If you were wanting to stretch the serum out you can apply it only on areas of darkness or redness, but I figure that the whole lot needs help so on it goes!

Without meaning to sound totally lame, I actually look forward to applying this and love the way it feels on my skin. I have found that since using this, my skin is more even and I can head out without too much slap on if I feel like it, which is quite a thrill for me. It didn't take too long for me to see the results as well, which is a good thing since this bottle is pretty pricey and I was uncertain when I began using it. It didn't flare up any acne for me (in fact, it was a player in the skincare routine which seemed to calm my recent skin flare up!) and I've noticed that if I skip this for a few nights, my skin gets a little upset with me.

My only misgivings about this beauty of a skin serum? The face that I can't see how much I have left, and the price tag! Sitting at $105 AUD (close to US price, woohoo!) this is definitely a skincare splurge, but I can actually envision myself trotting down to Myer or clicking onto Adore Beauty for a repurchase when this press sample runs dry...wallet be warned.

Lancôme Dreamtone retails for $105 AUD and can be purchased at Adore Beauty.

What luxe skincare have you found to really work for you? Or do you stick to budget skincare and splurge on lipsticks instead?!

Emma @ emmabovarybeauty

Serum Sampler!

The idea of trialling petite sized serums is a very exciting one, and so when Adore Beauty contacted me and told me about their new (and limited!) Serum Sampler Set, I was elated. I was sent the pack which contains 5 petite serums, and today I am showing you the contents of the pack. I would love to provide reviews on each of these serums but it takes quite a while to trial each one, and I didn't want you to miss the opportunity to try this sampler out so I will just be providing some serum overviews for you at this point!

The Serum Sampler Selection.

SK II Facial Treatment Essence (30ml)

This facial essence promises radiance and says that it helps to maintain the skin's normal renewal cycle, which all sounds very promising. It also mentions that it balances the skin's PH levels and sebum secretion, so the oily and dry bits of your skin come out happy with this. I love Cate Blanchett in the television ad for this product, and am looking forward to trying it!

Lancome Genifique Youth Activator (7ml)

This says that it is based on gene science and stimulates the skin's production of youth proteins. Being 21 I don't think this is aimed at me, but I am up for warding off aging and it says it will make my skin cushiony soft- I like! It also mentions that it will help with skin tone and texture. I think I have another of these samples lying around so it will be good to give this a red hot go!

Ole Henriksen Truth Serum Collagen Booster (7ml)

Like a vitamin for your face, or so it says on the pack! Promises to help smooth out lines and wrinkles and prevent them appearing in the future, which sounds great for the little lines appearing around my eyes! I know I'm young but I would like to stay looking fresh for as long as possible, so this stuff should be good for me.

Trilogy Rosehip Oil Antioxidant + (2.5ml)

I am a fan of rosehip oil in general, and Trilogy is an excellent brand so this is a welcome addition to the sampler pack. This is certified organic and 100% natural, and great at moisturising deep into the skin, which is a must-have in winter! I will be gifting this little sample to my sister as I have this already, and she is having a bit of trouble with dry skin at the moment, and this should do the trick!

Alpha-H Liquid Gold Prep & Prime (10ml)

This water-based fluid says that it will leave skin plumped and luminous, and refines pores and dissolves cell build up. I like that it had a mattifying effect, and doesn't contain filler ingredients. It notes glycolic acid as a primary ingredient and says that it will improve the overall appearance of my skin. I have a full size of this that Alpha-H gifted me that I am yet to use, so when I do open it this will live at Chris' house with my travel skincare.

Subtle Energies Facial Blend (10ml)
This 'aromatic' facial blend says that it gives a youthful glow by providing rejuvenation, and that it is great for normal to dry skin types. The blend includes the oils of mogra, sandalwood and Indian Rose, which sounds like a very lovely mix! I've not heard of this brand before so am excited to see whether or not this can help my winter dryness.

I think that sampler packs like this are a terrific way of dipping your toe into new products without too much commitment, and I am excited to be able to try out all of these brands.

The exclusive Adore Beauty Serum Sampler retails for $29 AUD and can be purchased here. The pack arrives with a discount code for 10% off of any serum within the pack, so once you have chosen your favourite you can save a bit of cash! Shipping from Adore Beauty is $5.95 AUD.

Have you tried any of these serums?

What do you think of the idea of a serum sampler?

*This serum sampler pack was provided for consideration for review from Adore Beauty, which in no way affects my opinion of the product. Honesty, always.

Beach House

Some old favourites, some new products from my collection and a free morning at the beach house.

Chopped the poor fiance out of this one, cheeky!

Flamingo was one of the lipsticks I purchased from the Iris Apfel for MAC collection, and a few of you mentioned that you wanted to see more of it so here you go! My original post with swatches is here.

The pas des copper eye souffle from essence (haul here) is something I've been using under my neutral eye looks quite a bit, and I think it's going to look great underneath the new Illamasqua neutral palette as well. (Click here for a FOTD with the eye souffle paired with Bronx from Illamasqua.) This time around I used the eye souffle by itself with a lick of mascara, liquid liner and a shimmery shadow for a highlight, because I couldn't be bothered doing anything complicated while we were away.

Benefit Hervana was the only blush I took away with me, and I was hoping it would become my new NYX Peach, aka staple in my collection. I like it, but I'm not sure whether or not I love it on my face yet. It sure is pretty though! The Garnier concealer is actually Chris', and he stole it back not long after I took these photos. His skincare products are really appealing to me lately, they're just so quick and easy to use!

pas des copper is really pretty, I think it's a great product for a subtle eye look as well as the full on bronze smokey eyes I like to do. Nice and versatile, and worth grabbing if you can find one in store.

Do you wear makeup when you spend lazy weekends away?

Do you play around with crazy looks, or go bare faced

*All products mentioned in this post were purchased by me, except for the Face of Australia liquid liner. Honesty, always.