Laura Mercier

Product Spotlight: Laura Mercier Translucent Loose Setting Powder Glow

October 8th, 2019 by Karen 18 Comments

To quote the great Lizzo (Lizzo for president!), it ain’t my fault if I’m out here getting loose. And I say that because I’ve been wearing Laura Mercier Translucent Loose Setting Powder Glow ($39), so, ya know…I’m getting loose with it, ha ha ha!

(I don’t blame it on the goose or my juice, in case you were wondering.)

This face setting powder is a rare gem. It has a subtle pearly finish (I know, blowing your mind right now!), which sets makeup without making pores look like moon craters (an issue with any sort of powder with shimmer or sheen).

Yes, you can wear it all over your face! It adds a hint of dewiness, so your face doesn’t look flat or too matte, and it does this without showing off your fine lines or smile lines, a.k.a your experience lines.

You can also wear it like a traditional highlighter as well, if all-over glow is a little too much for ya.

Oh, and did I mention that it feels weightless and doesn’t look cake-y? It’s so good, you guys. So, so good.

laura mercier traslucent loose setting powder glow swatch — I’m an NC42 in MAC, by the way.

You know, if you like that dewy skin look, but you don’t want to look greasy or a shiny metallic robot, this is it.

A big 1-oz. jar is $39 (comes with a sifter, but it doesn’t come with a brush or powder puff though), and there are two shade options — one lighter and one darker. I wear the lighter option, and it works fine with my NC42 skin.
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A Laura Mercier Moment…

September 10th, 2019 by Karen 18 Comments

laura mercier september 2019 — Dearest Laura…you’re rockin’ my world at the moment.

I’m going to assume that you are, or have been, a makeup junkie, and so therefore you have probably had one (or more) moments like I did the other night at back-to-school night, when your makeup universe collides in such a way that you’re, like, “WHOA!”

I can’t be the only one. I just can’t.

I was just sitting there in Connor’s preschool classroom wearing some Laura Mercier products when my nose honed in on someone’s perfume (I have a bloodhound’s sense of smell). It was familiar, but I couldn’t place it, and the source of that scent — swear to gosh — knocked around in my head for days, like a song stuck in my head.

Then, half asleep one night in bed, it hit me! It was Laura Mercier Eau de Lune, which I wore every day for three years straight in the early aughts.

Dang, dawg, I’ve been wearing Laura Mercier makeup off and on for almost 20 years! In fact, I can recall when it was a relatively new line. I remember going to a counter for the first time (must have been about 1997) and being intrigued by the makeup primer, which was very forward-thinking at the time. And their Tinted Moisturizer, Secret Brightening Powder, Eye Basics in Wheat and Stormy Grey eyeliner have all been in my everyday makeup bag rotation at different times for years.

Like I was saying…I just happened to be wearing a few pieces of LM makeup the other night, and it reminded me why I like wearing Laura Mercier makeup so much. Her style is colorful, but not too crazy, and has elegantly subtle touches of pizzazz, like a little glitter here, a demi-matte finish there… It’s also easy to amplify or dial down.

A few quick thoughts on what I’ve been wearing lately…

Foundation Primer ($38)

There are a few different versions of this (Oil-Free, Dry SKin, etc.), and this one is the basic Foundation Primer. It’s a colorless, lightweight primer in a moisturizing gel that instantly sinks into skin (rather than sitting on top). If you like primers that add radiance with barely-there pearl finish (like MAC’s Natural Radiance), you’ll like this, too. It’s an oldie but goodie.

Translucent Loose Setting Powder ($39)

Light as air and completely undetectable, this has a soft matte finish that looks natural to the Nth degree!

laura mercier september 2019 swatches — Lovies by Laura M.!

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Laura Mercier Joie de Vivre Collection Spring 2017 Colour Powder in Windflush, and Lipsticks in Happy, Smile and Joy

March 3rd, 2017 by Karen 7 Comments

Normally, I wouldn’t wear a bold green/blue eye look like this one with such bright lips, but I was feeling the joie de vivre today from the lipsticks and blush in the Laura Mercier Joie de Vivre spring 2017 collection, so I figured, why not? Life is short. Wear that bold color combo, girlfriend!

laura mercier joie de vivre smile — Windflush Blush and Smile Lipstick

Limited edition Joie de Vivre has been on counters for a while, with some lip pencils, a mascara, a cake liner, a blush and three lipsticks, and of course I’ve been wanting to try the colorful products (you know me) — Windflush Color Powder for Cheeks & Eyes ($40 and the three Joie de Vivre Lipsticks, Smile, Joy and Happy ($28 each).

Beautifully baked Windflush Blush is a peachy pink with a matte finish and a bananas wear time. I mean, I wore it one day last weekend for 12 hours (!), and it didn’t fade a bit. There’s something about those baked formulas, man… They hang on and won’t let go. If you have oily cheeks and blush usually scoots right off your skin, I bet it’ll work really well for you.

Incidentally, I think it’s also gorgeous as an eyeshadow. I like it as a wash all over the lid with a navy liner on my upper lash line.

laura mercier joie de vivre happy — Happy Lipstick

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Introducing Laura Mercier Translucent Loose Setting Powder in New Translucent Medium Deep

March 1st, 2017 by Karen 17 Comments

laura mercier translucent loose setting powder medium deep — New Laura Mercier Translucent Loose Setting Powder in Medium Deep ($38)

I’m kindasorta (but not really) already looking forward to the end of the summer and wearing Laura Mercier Translucent Loose Setting Powder in Translucent Medium Deep ($38), because by then I’ll have my full-on brown girl tan, and I’ll be able to wear this fabulous face powder.

A new addition to Laura’s permanent line, it’s a deeper version of her cult classic Translucent Loose Setting Powder.

This marvelous mattifying powder’s silky, velvety finish doesn’t scream, “Hey, world, I’m wearing makeup! LOOK AT IT!!!”

It’s too coy for that.

laura mercier translucent loose setting powder medium deep 1 — A swatch of Laura Mercier Translucent Setting Powder in Medium Deep

For the ultimate no-makeup makeup look

It’s comparable to Chanel’s powder (my loose powder holy grail) — similarly subtle finish and how it sits so closely to the skin. Both are beautiful powders if you’re into the no-makeup makeup thing.

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Laura Mercier Master Class Colour Essentials Collection Palette (2nd Edition) for Holiday 2016

November 4th, 2016 by Karen 3 Comments

I’m smiling in this picture out of sheer relief at having gotten one usable photo after doing my makeup today with the 2nd Edition Laura Mercier Master Class Colour Essentials Collection palette.

I don’t know, dude… This look was rough. I am so out of practice with makeup that requires more than 15 minutes and two brushes — like, I’m talking base color, transition shades, gradients… If you don’t use it, you lose it. At least that’s how it’s been for me.

It wasn’t the palette’s fault at all, though. It was just classic user error, but one thing that made this look slightly easier was the fact that — oh, my gosh — there are so many mattes, specifically workhorse shades.

The Laura Mercier Master Class Colour Essentials Collection/palette (2nd Edition)
$125, limited edition, available now online and at Laura Mercier counters

“This incredible collection is filled with some of my favorite shades, finishes and liners to create endless looks. You can transform your eyes from classic to cat eye with just a few easy steps. Get creative!”

— Laura Mercier, from lauramercier.com

The palette comes with…

12 Eye Colours (1.5g / 0.05 oz each): Etoile, Bronze Glow, Minx, Pewter Dust, Gilded Pines, Vanilla Nuts, Café Au Lait, Espresso Bean, Poison Ivory, Stone Taupe, Noir, Stellar
Second Skin Cheek Colour (3g / 0.1 oz): Riche Nectar
Face Highlighter (3g / 0.1 oz): Pink Haze
Bronzing Pressed Powder (3g / 0.1 oz): Soleil Bronze
Tightline Cake Eyeliner (1.5g / 0.05 oz each): Black Ebony, Mahogany Brown
Longwear Creme Eye Pencil (0.8 g / 0.02 oz): Noir
Double Ended Eyeliner Brush
Double Ended Eye Colour Brush

* A $429 value

The palette, which is $125, limited edition and available now at Laura Mercier counters, is referred to as a collection (even though it’s a palette), and it contains 12 eyeshadows, a blush, bronzer, highlighter, pencil eyeliner, two cake eyeliners and two brushes.

Six of those 12 eyeshadows are mattes, which is great because, as you know, I’m always bitchin’ and moaning about eye palettes that don’t have enough workhorse mattes. 🙂 This one, thankfully, has lots of delicious browns and beiges and even a dark black.

It’s part of Laura’s holiday 2016 collection and a followup to last year’s Master Class Collection palette from holiday 2015. Like last year’s, it also comes in what looks like a cute clutch and has the same layout.

The eye look I’m wearing here is on the cooler side. I’m wearing cool-toned and neutral browns with some shimmery, neutral olive, and everything I have on my eyes and cheeks is from this palette.

Because the bronzer, blush and highlighter are all warm toned, I assumed that the eyeshadows would be as well, but they aren’t. They’re generally cooler, which seems unusual to me — the contrasting color temps. The bronzer, blush and highlighter are all very warm. I don’t know if the palette is intended for cool-toned gals or warm-toned gals, or if Laura just wanted to cover all of her bases, but it’s kind of different.

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