PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT: LAURA MERCIER OIL- FREE FOUNDATION PRIMER

Here’s an initial review on LAURA MERCIER OIL- FREE FOUNDATION PRIMER

PRICE: ? (ROUGHLY AROUND 900- 1K)

PLACE BOUGHT: FROM A SWAP IN GIRLTALK

OTHER LOCATIONS: LAURA MERCIER COUNTERS (RUSTANS MAKATI; SHANGRI- LA MALL, ORTIGAS, MANDALUYONG CITY)

THE VERDICT:

I got this from a swap with Sis enkybaby of Girltalk months ago. Didn’t get to review this early on because I’ve been getting a lot of products and it’s really taking me time reviewing ‘em all. So before this product falls into obscurity, I’m going to review it now.

Laura Mercier’s comes in a tube that’s like the brand’s Tinted Moisturizer. This is the full size already, and it’s quite small IMO.

Consistency is like moisturizer. The product is unscented, which is good because there’s no perfume in it to clog your pores. But it has a weird chemical- ish scent that might be quite a turn- off to some. The smell makes me feel light- headed before, but eventually, I got used to it.

The product is spreadable, and is absorbed quickly into the skin. After a few seconds, your face starts to mattify. It provides a dry base for foundation.

But in terms of keeping oil at bay, this is not your best bet. It just mattifies your skin as preparation for foundation application. But throughout the day, my oilies persist to come out of my pores.

It’s pretty steep for a small tube of primer, not to mention that there’s just a little amount inside the tube. I’m better off with Leyende Face Canvass or my HG, Kryolan Invisible Matt.

BEAUTY BATTLES: MY FOUNDATION COLLECTION

For this edition of the BEAUTY COMPARISONS, I will compare all of my foundation products.

Here are my standards for a good foundation:

- DOESN'T LOOK CAKEY

- BLENDS LIKE SECOND SKIN OR IMPROVES MY SKIN TEXTURE AND TONE

- STAYS PUT THE WHOLE DAY

- DOESN'T STING

- HAS NO FUNKY SMELL

- HAS GOOD YET NATURAL COVERAGE

- DRIES QUICKLY

GRAFTOBIAN HI-DEF CREME FOUNDATION (DESERT SAND)

This is an HD foundation. It is actually a good product. It is unscented, and cheap. 800php for a pan. It is a lightweight cream that blends evenly and easily. It is also buildable. However, you can look a bit too made up if you put too much of it. But when it settles on your skin, it looks natural. My only qualm is, it dries slowly. A little goes a long way and coverage is really good. It evens out my skin tone and has the ability to tame down redness (e.g ripe pimples, minor skin redness).

RATING: 8/10

MAKE- UP FOREVER HD FOUNDATION (160)

Honestly, I bought this just to see what the hype is all about. It does give amazing results because when you put the right amount, it makes your skin look flawless and almost perfect. It also has the ability to control facial oil the whole day. However, some shades available are pink toned so it literally changes the color of my skin if I put too much of it. It is quite costly. Price is 2150php (?). Pump is not convenient because it is not controllable. If you have heavy hands, chances are, you can squeeze too much of the product out of the tube. I actually had the mistake and was forced to put all the excess gunk on my skin. Hubby told me that I was wearing a too obvious foundation. I looked at myself in natural lighting and my face looked pinkish and darker! I was slowly losing my interest in the product so I sold it.

RATING: 6/10

PAUL AND JOE LIQUID FOUNDATION N (50)

A lot have been raving about the Paul and Joe foundation line. So you might infer that I bought this just because of the hype. The packaging is exquisite and lovely. It costs 1950php. The bottle can be used as a display or as a container for another liquid. But, it doesn't have a pump, spatula or anything so it can be quite messy when using. This line promises a glowing effect for the skin. The coverage is medium- heavy. The coverage is impressive, but the foundation feels kinda' hot on the face. It dries ever so slowly and can run off within the day if you're in a very hot place, or if you sweat profusely. The glowing effect seemed oily to me. So after two trials, I sold this foundation. I actually managed to solve the oily- look, but the staying power is not good.

RATING: 5/10

L-R: ULTRA AND SUPRA

KRYOLAN ULTRAFOUNDATION (FAIR OLIVE, CONCEALER SHADE)

Another great foundation for professional use. Almost similar to Supracolor but Ultrafoundation dries faster than Supracolor. While Supracolor has a glowing, moist finish, Ultrafoundation dries to a matte finish. It just blends into skin, making it look 100 times better. Ultrafoundation is buildable. So you can go from light to dramatic. However, this is more costly than Supracolor. A refill costs 650php and a palette of 6 can cost around 2- 2500php.

RATING: 10/10

KRYOLAN SUPRACOLOR (W SHADES (PINK TONED SHADES), 8W)

A foundation for professional use. Coverage is very thick. It literally changes the color and texture of the skin. It is sweat- resistant and works very well with any setting powder. A palette of 6 costs 1700php. Has a lovely and light perfume smell that is not over- powering. Contains no mineral oil, which makes some foundation run off of the skin. Glycerin- rich, so it moisturizes as well. Can be a bit hard to remove but it's very efficient for performers who sweat a lot during performances. A palette can contain 6 colors, from the concealer to special shades. It's in a stainless palette. A little goes a long way so the palette will really last the user long. Supracolor foundation is available in refills so you don't have to buy another palette again. However, this can dry slowly, as compared to Ultrafoundation.

RATING: 10/10

BOBBI BROWN SKIN FOUNDATION (WARM ALMOND 4.5)

The best foundation for everyday use. It is very costly. A bottle costs 2450php. It's in a glass bottle and the pump is better than MUFE. It's much easier to control the amount that you pump out with Bobbi Brown's pump. It literally blends like skin! I love it because its the only sheer foundation that gives good coverage! It stays put the whole day, but can run off just a teeny bit in very hot places. It balances the color of my skin tone and it kinda' covers my redness. It's water- based so it's spreadable. It's absorbed easily by the skin and dries quickly. It is unscented, so you don't have to worry about perfume clogging your pores.

RATING: 10/10

LAURA MERCIER OIL- FREE TINTED MOISTURIZER (ALMOND)

A lot have been claiming that this is the best alternative for foundation. I decided to get this one because I'm using up my Bobbi Brown too quickly. It is a tinted moisturizer. It costs 1450php. Laura Mercier's line is kinda' cheap as compared to other make- up brands in Rustans. It comes in the TM and Oil- Free TM variant. I have oily skin so I opted to get the Oil- Free one, since I have oily skin. Honestly, it really acts like foundation, even if it's a tinted moisturizer. It improves skin's texture while looking oh-so-natural.It stays put the whole day, is unscented and it is literally absorbed easily by the skin. At last, a perfect alternative for my Bobbi Brown SKin Foundation!

RATING: 10/10

KRYOLAN TV PAINT STICK

A cream foundation in stick form. Specially made for the television and film. Blends and settles into a like- skin finish, which makes it a favorite tool among t.v. and film artists. It also proves to be functional for theatre performers too! Layer it so it coverage will thicken, and apply a sheer amount for television and film. It can also be used for everyday. Just apply a sheer amount. Lasts long, sweat- resistant, and has a mild, perfume- y scent. The stick will last you for decades! But unfortunately, I got a very dark shade, because I badly needed one for a play. So it's rotting in my stash, waiting for another play where I'll star either as a black woman, 'taong grasa', or something. :p

RATING: 9/10

TOP 5 PICKS (IN ORDER OF PREFERENCE)

1. BOBBI BROWN SKIN FOUNDATION

2. LAURA MERCIER OIL- FREE TINTED MOISTURIZER

3. KRYOLAN SUPRACOLOR

4. KRYOLAN ULTRAFOUNDATION

5. GRAFTOBIAN HI- DEF CREME FOUNDATION

WHAT ARE YOUR FAVORITE FOUNDATION BRANDS? WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING FOR IN A FOUNDATION? :)

PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT: LAURA MERCIER MATTE EYESHADOW (NOIR)

Here's an initial review on LAURA MERCIER MATTE EYESHADOW IN NOIR

PRICE: 895PHP
PLACE BOUGHT: RUSTANS, MAKATI CITY
OTHER LOCATIONS: ALABANG TOWN CENTER; SHANGRI- LA MALL, ORTIGAS

THE VERDICT:

I've been having a bit of a problem with MAC's matte eyeshadows. They're very hard to spread and they have the tendency to blotch when not blended right away. So I sold it and embarked on a search for the perfect matte black eyeshadow. Matte eyeshadows (most especially black) are very important in my profession. And besides, it's a basic color in every make- up stash.

So I decided to get LM's matte eyeshadow. It's part of my Xmas make- up loot. Finally, here's what I have to say:

It comes in the signature LM chocolate- brown glazed compact. Pan is quite big in terms of width and the compact has a built- in mirror which is very convenient when touching- up or in any occasion where a pocket mirror will come in handy.

The texture of the eyeshadow is quite chalky. It feels even more loose than MAC's. But what I love about it is, it blends easily. But one con is, since it's more loose, it has the tendency to fall on my cheeks and stain the rest of my make- up. Just make sure you apply loose powder under your eyes so it'll come off without staining your face.

The eyeshadow on moi eyes. :)

In terms of staying power, It stayed put the whole day. Take note that the eyeshadow was tested under harsh performance conditions (e.g. extreme sweating, humid air, and hot lights). It never creased nor streaked! I applied Kryolan's eyeshadow base first (which is a very good e/s primer) then the eyeshadow. Both made lovely music together! :)

Will I buy this again? Of course! I think I've finally found the perfect black matte eyeshadow. It's cheaper (compared to other high- end brands), pigmented and stays put. I'm lovin' it! I'm actually interested to try other LM eyeshadow shades. :)

PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT: LAURA MERCIER OIL- FREE TINTED MOISTURIZER IN ALMOND

 

 

 

 

 

Here’s an initial review on LAURA MERCIER OIL- FREE TINTED MOISTURIZER IN ALMOND

PRICE: 1850PHP

PLACE BOUGHT: RUSTANS, ALABANG TOWN CENTER

OTHER LOCATIONS: RUSTANS, MAKATI; SHANGRI- LA MALL, ORTIGAS

THE VERDICT:

 So LM’s TM is probably the product that made them famous. It’s claim to fame is that, it has the feel and texture of a moisturizer but with a coverage and staying power of a foundation. It just improves skin’s color without looking too unnatural, yet still, looking healthy and beautiful. It’s like you’re somewhere between wearing and not wearing any foundation at all, which makes this a great product for everyday use.

 And I decided to grab a tube yesterday. My shade match is Almond, which is their darkest shade. I told you guys before that I won’t be purchasing any face products from LM anymore because of their pink- toned shade range. But it goes differently for their foundations. Their foundations have a wide variety of shades and surprisingly, there are some yellow or golden- toned shades in the selection.

 The saleslady told me that Almond was already OOS and she recommended Sand, I was a bit hesitant because Sand is a bit lighter than Almond, and though the difference wasn’t huge, I’m afraid that the color pay- off it will effect differently on my face. So I just told the SA “Di bale, next time na lang.” Then when I was about to walk away, the SA shouted: “AY MA’M! May stock pa po pala!” She said that the last stock was hidden in the deep part of the stock cabinet and lady luck was on my side. True enough, I was one lucky gal, but I can’t say the same thing for my wallet. :p

 So let’s now criticize the product. First and foremost, the Tinted Moisturizer comes in 2 types: The regular, which is in a white- silver tube and the oil- free, which is in the brown tube. Both have the same price but since I have oily skin, the oil- free variant is very much recommended for my skin type.

 Let’s now go to the packaging. I find the squeezy tube quite handy. You can control the amount of the product that goes out of the tube. The tube is quite compact also so you don’t have to worry about it adding too much weight or eating space in your bag. However, the tube is quite long, that’s why you may need to have a bigger make- up kit. But at least, I know that I’m paying for a hefty amount of product!  

So here’s the actual product. For the shade, I actually thought that Almond will be somehow lighter than my shade but since it’s sheer, the color just blends flawlessly onto my skin tone without changing the color. In terms of consistency, it’s very much like foundation. But when I applied it on, it just felt like moisturizer! It’s quite watery even. I like that it feels cool upon application and it doesn’t have a perfume smell at all. So for the skin savvy, you don’t have to worry about clogged pores when you use this multi- tasking product.

 And the best part, it has SPF 20!  

 Here’s my horrible face without anything on it.

And here’s my face with the TM. The coverage is wonderful! It gave my face a natural- looking glow. And true enough, my skin looks improved without looking as if I have foundation on! It’s just like second skin! :p

 I still treated it as foundation so I set it with my Sephora mattifying compact powder.

And the result, totally wonderful! For the first time, I’ve never seen my face less- made up as compared to me wearing foundation! But still, I looked pretty presentable and prepped- up!

Will I buy this again? HELL YES! I’ve been pondering on getting a cheaper alternative to my Bobbi Brown Skin Foundation. I’d still choose my BB SF anytime but I have to admit that it’s quite pricey. But in terms of effect, this almost does the same job! A foundation that covers just like second skin! And not to mention, it’s cheap and a little amount goes a long way. At last, I’ve found an HG material from Laura Mercier.

PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT: LAURA MERCIER MINERAL PRESSED POWDER IN NATURAL BEIGE

Here's an initial review on LAURA MERCIER MINERAL PRESSED POWDER IN NATURAL BEIGE

PRICE: 1450PHP

PLACE BOUGHT: RUSTANS, MAKATI CITY

OTHER LOCATIONS: RUSTANS ESSENCES, ALABANG TOWN CENTER; RUSTANS, SHAGRI- LA MALL, ORTIGAS, MANDALUYONG CITY

THE VERDICT:

So I got this as one of mom's Christmas presents. I decided to give Laura Mercier a try since a lot have been raving about their flawless face kit. Besides, I wanted to explore different brands as well.

This powder is from the Mineral product line of Laura Mercier. It also comes in their flawless face kit. This pressed powder also comes in the loose form, with exactly the same shades as the ones in the pressed form.

The shade I got is Natural Beige. It is Laura Mercier's darkest powder shade in the Mineral line. 

When I tried this on the counter, it perfectly blended on my skin and it even matched my jawline and neck so that's the reason why I got this because I thought that it is exactly my shade match.

Well, natural lighting can be such a bitch.

Hmmm. Pwede na rin!

I actually think that this is too rosy for my skintone, so in effect, it looks a bit whiter than my shade. It can be compared to MAC's NC40. So to remedy this, I apply it lightly and sparingly on my face in a circular motion so as to somehow create an airbrushed effect.

It does control oil from 2- 3 hours. But I notice that it gets really greasy because I only apply it sparingly so that's why I couldn't maximize its effectiveness. It could really be effective, you know? Since the SA told me that it controls oils. But I don't wanna end up looking too white so I can't layer the powder over my face, especially since it does give off a very pigmented coverage.

Will I buy this again? No. Laura Mercier's selection  are apt for mestizas because of the pink undertones. I'll prolly get MAC and stick with it since it has NC42, which is my perfect shade match. I'm thinking of selling this but since it's mom's Christmas gift and I decided to get it anyway, I'd have to suffer the consequences. :p

BEAUTY BATTLES:BATTLE OF THE BEST- SELLING CONCEALERS

For this edition of Beauty Battles, Let's compare two best- selling concealer brands

Let's compare these from my stash:

MAC STUDIO SCULPT CONCEALER (NC35)

950PHP

LAURA MERCIER SECRET CONCEALER (3)

995PHP

Both products are said to be part of the best- sellers in both respective brands. Let's see which one does the trick! :)

L- R: MAC and Laura Mercier

Let's first look at MAC:

PACKAGING- A bit heavy due to its thick and unnecessary glass base; eats a bit of space inside make- up bags

BEST- SELLER- Yes

PRICE- A bit expensive but relatively cheaper compared to other high- end brands

TEXTURE- Gel- based; creamy

STAYING POWER- Impressive

COVERAGE- Impressive, but Studio Finish give better coverage

Finally, let's look at Laura Mercier:

PACKAGING- Convenient, lightweight and easy to store inside make- up kits without eating too much space

BEST- SELLER- Yes

PRICE- A bit expensive than MAC, but is relatively cheaper as compared to other high- end brands as well

TEXTURE- Creamy and Dreamy :)

STAYING POWER- Good. It just fades a bit throughout the day but it doesn't leave nasty streaks

COVERAGE- Impressive

FINAL VERDICT:

Laura Mercier's concealer is creamier as compared with MAC's Studio Sculpt but MAC's not that hard to blend as well. Both do cover my dark circles but for some weird reason (and I don't know if it's just me), I can still see my dark circles (just a teeny bit! not horribly expose). I think the problem lies within the consistency. Since gel- based and creamy concealers have the tendency to spread on it's own very well and blend with the skin, it fails to completely camouflage the dark circles, as opposed to hard- textured concealers, which don't blend evenly unless you blend it yourself evenly. Hard- textured concealers act as barriers or coats for the under eyes, making those nasty circles completely concealed. But both have their own pros and cons. Hard- textured concealers are quite hard to blend so you'll experience tugging of your under eye skin during blending which can lead to a wrinkled under eye. So that's why soft- textured concealers were formulated.

But both brands do a good job in terms of concealing. I might not be satisfied because my under eye circles are THAT bad. But as far as I'm concerned, out of 10, I give both a 9.4.

But in terms of price, MAC is cheaper by a mere 45 bucks. But 45 bucks can still afford you a meal. I suggest you get MAC's Studio Sculpt since I find its color range more extensive than Laura Mercier's. Also, the pot's bigger as compared to LM's. And since Asians are yellow- toned, MAC's variety of colors can definitely let you find your match, as opposed to Laura Mercier's selection of three shades only.

SO FOR THIS BEAUTY BATTLE, THE WINNER IS:

MAC

PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT: LAURA MERCIER SECRET CONCEALER (3)

Here's an initial review on LAURA MERCIER SECRET CONCEALER IN 3

PRICE: 995PHP

PLACE BOUGHT: RUSTAN'S, MAKATI CITY

OTHER LOCATION: ALABANG TOWN CENTER; SHANGRI- LA MALL, ORTIGAS

THE VERDICT:

Some blogs claim that Laura Mercier's Secret Concealer is one of her must- haves in the brand line. People love it's consistency, concealing power and durability.

I'm such a sucker for reviews so you could say that it's what made me purchase the concealer.

Let''s go to the packaging. It's in a small pot in the classic glossy chocolate- brown colored packaging. It's pretty compact and lightweight. I give it 8 stars. Why? I really don't like covers that are completely detached from the jars because I have this curse of losing the covers. So imagine, if I lose the cover, this concealer will be definitely transferred. And I don't like that to happen.

So here's the concealer. It's in the shade 3, the darkest among the 3 shades. I don't like that the concealer range doesn't have that much shades to choose from. 1 is a pale white- yellow shade, 2 is a beige- yellow shade while 3 is a medium beige- yellow shade.

Here's my right eye without the concealer. look at those undereye circles. NASTY.

Here's my eye with the Laura Mercier concealer.

Let's go to the consistency. It's probably the creamiest concealers I've come across. It blends like a dream so you don't have to worry about tugging our sensitive undereye area during application. Layer it for as many times as you like and it just blends greatly.

Here are my undereyes with the LM Secret Concealer.

Let's go to the coverage. It's pretty impressive. Though I think this wouldn't work well because I think I need more yellow toned concealers, it just did a decent job in concealing my undereye circles.

Staying power is kinda' impressive. Why did say kinda'? I've noticed that during the day, it did not crease, which is a good thing. But I noticed that at the middle of the day, it's like I can see my dark circles (not too much, they're still a bit concealed). I don't know if the foundation has something to do with it or it's just that I should've gotten 2, which is the lighter shade. At first, the coverage seemed okay but at the middle of the day, I can see my dark circles. But don't worry. It's not as if I didn't put any concealer on. It's just that it did fade a bit during the day.

Will I buy this again? Probably not. There are not much shades to choose from. And I think the shade is too pink for me, since I have a stronger yellow undertone, though I have some pink tones on me. MAC is still my HG concealer. This concealer should be great, but it's just that I'm too dark for it, or it's not my match at all.