Laura Mercier

Laura Mercier Master Class Colour Essentials Holiday 2015 Eye and Cheek Palette

November 18th, 2015 by Karen 15 Comments

The new 20-piece Laura Mercier Master Class Colour Essentials Collection eye and cheek palette ($125) looks a little like a day planner from 1998, or like a chic clutch you might take to an event where all the ladies are wearing dangerously high heels and carrying ridiculously tiny purses.

Still cute though, I think, especially with the brown and gold tortoiseshell-like trim.

The limited edition holiday 2015 palette comes with 12 powder eyeshadows, three blushes, two powder liners (for tightlining), a black eye kohl and two brushes, and it’s about two degrees of separation from Laura Mercier herself, because she handpicked all of the products.

I mean, it’s not like hanging out with her over tea and scones (I wish!), but it’s almost like having her do your makeup.

Almost.

LOL!

With such a wide variety of colors, finishes and formulas, the palette is packed with creative possibilities for endless looks ranging from day to night to nude to smoky.

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For a Shot of Shimmer, Try These Laura Mercier Fairy Dust Eye Shimmers

February 24th, 2015 by Karen 30 Comments

The new Laura Mercier Fairy Dust Eye Shimmers, $28 each — The new Laura Mercier Fairy Dust Eye Shimmers (five shades, $28 dollars each)

Yes, I’m picturing an invisible factory staffed by thousands of flittering fairies who crush precious gems with tiny magic hammers.

This, because of the new $28 Fairy Dust Eye Shimmers by Laura Mercier.

I’m also thinking, “Ooh, shimmer!” 🙂

As it turns out, these loose eyeshadows are more shimmery than glittery — like powdered pearls — so if you want bigger bits of bling, steer your tush toward Urban Decay, or somewhere else with mounds of glitter.

To use these, there’s a flat, wide brush attached to the bottom of the twist-off cap. Just swipe the brush, which should already be loaded with pigment, directly on your lids.

You can wear them on their own, blended with other shadows, or use ’em as like a sparkly topcoat, by layering them on top of an already finished eye look.

Laura Mercier Fairy Dust Eye Shimmer Swatches from the left: Crushed Copper, Crushed Platinum, Crushed Amethyst, Crushed Lapis and Crushed Opnyx — Swatches from the left of Crushed Copper, Crushed Platinum, Crushed Amethyst, Crushed Lapis and Crushed Onyx

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These Laura Mercier Paint Wash Liquid Lip Colours Are NOT Quick-Drying…Which in This Case Is Good!

February 24th, 2015 by Karen 26 Comments

Laura Mercier Paint Wash Liquid Lip Colour, $28 each — The Laura Mercier Paint Wash Liquid Lip Colours, $28 each

Um…but of course I couldn’t leave Sephora last night without grabbing at least some swatches. You know me all too well. 🙂

As I was making my usual rounds at the store down the street (I always start in the left corner by the front door and then meander counter-clockwise), Laura Mercier’s Painted Wash Liquid Lip Colours ($28 each) stopped me in my ASPCA Vans.

Bonjour, Laura! J’adore bright lipsticks.

Laura Mercier Paint Wash Liquid Lip Colour swatches from the left: Petal Pink, Red Brick, Coral Reef, Vermillion Red, Golden Peach, Fuchsia Mauve, Nude Rose and Orchid Pink — From the left: Petal Pink, Red Brick, Coral Reef, Vermillion Red, Golden Peach, Fuchsia Mauve, Nude Rose and Orchid Pink

Laura’s new line of lightweight liquid lipsticks is available now in nine vivid, deme-matte shades — Rosewood (a rosy brown), Petal Pink (a warm pink), Red Brick (reddish brown), Coral Reef (a pinkish coral), Vermillion Red (an orangey red), Golden Peach (a pale peachy pink), Fuchsia Mauve (a plum), Nude Rose (a pinkish brown) and Orchid Pink (a reddish pink).

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A Warning to All Crazy Cat Ladies Considering the New Laura Mercier Luxe Travel Brush Collection…

November 14th, 2014 by Karen 20 Comments

Take heed, crazy cat ladies. Rubbing the brushes in Laura Mercier’s $125 Luxe Travel Brush Collection across your face may induce irresistible urges to adopt additional cats.

WARNING: If you have already acquired a “gateway cat,” exercise extreme caution, especially around the Cheek Colour Brush, because it feels exactly like the softest, plushest, most downy delicious belly meat.

Makeup lovers have reported that it made them contemplate kitty crime. “I’m considering kidnapping an adorable tortie girl who lives down the street,” said one woman, “even though I know better…” 🙁

Gate-way cat
noun
Among members of the crazy cat lady community, the third cat is commonly referred to as “the gateway cat,” since it opens the door to adopting even more cats and posits the question, at this point, why stop at just three?

All eight of the brushes in this set feel kitten soft, from the fluffy Pony Tail Brush (fabulous for erasing hard edges, applying highlighter to those upper cheekbones, or for blending under-eye concealer), to the Angled Eye Liner Brush (great for thin lines and flicks, and it also doubles as a spot applicator for concealer). The set also comes with a travel case and a removable mesh cosmetic bag insert.

The $125 Laura Mercier Luxe Travel Brush Collection includes…

Cheek Color Brush

Secret Camouflage Brush

Pony Tail Brush

Creme Eye Colour Brush

Eye Crease Brush

Smudge Brush

Flat Eye Liner Brush

Angled Eye Liner Brush

Travel Case with removable mesh cosmetic bag

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Laura Mercier’s New High Coverage Concealer For Under Eye Disguises Dark Circles, But Demands Significant Elbow Grease

September 3rd, 2014 by Karen 13 Comments

Laura Mercier High Coverage Concealer For Under Eye in shade 4 — Wearing the new Laura Mercier High Coverage Concealer For Under Eye ($28) to cover up ye olde dreaded dark circles

If your current full-coverage under-eye concealer were a skimpy Brazilian-cut bikini, then Laura Mercier’s new High Coverage Concealer ($28 for a 0.27-oz. tube) would be a Victorian Era bathing costume, complete with skirt, bloomers, bonnet and shoes.

In other words, no skin be showin’ here, ma! Those dark circles will be covered-the-eff-up.

A recent addition to Laura’s permanent line, High Coverage is referred to as “three in one” by Team LM. It’s supposed to cover, de-puff and brighten under-eye circles, all at the same time, and it comes in 12 shades that correspond to the colors in Laura’s existing Secret Concealer range.

I had hoped to experience significant makeup nirvana testing High Coverage based on how much I’ve been loving the new Smooth Finish Flawless Fluide Foundation Laura released at the same time (one word: amazing), but to be honest, my feelings run hot and cold… My overall opinion depends on how psycho my skin is acting on any given day.

Annoying Dry Skin Issues: Chapter 1,576

My under-eye area is usually some degree of dry, from slightly dry to very, and when it’s very dry, High Coverage Concealer does not look cute.

Yes, it completely covers my dark circles, which is great, but the texture looks thick and heavy, and cracks appear around my fine lines.

It’s a different story, however, when my skin is behaving better (and I also jump through some extra hoops, which I’ll describe in a moment), in which case, High Coverage looks and works great. The cracking is kept to a minimum, and the texture looks natural.

Being somewhat dry and thick (it looks and feels like a thick paste, as opposed to a runny liquid), the formula is also pigmented — things that don’t often lend themselves to easy blending — so if you attempt to half-@ss the application, you could be in for a janky surprise (particularly if you have mature skin).

The way around it is to really get in there and do the work, and if you do, High Coverage can look lovely.

Here’s how I apply it

A drop the size of a pin head is enough, literally, to do both eyes. The back of the tube recommends dotting a bit on a fingertip and patting that beneath your eyes, but I tried that and wasn’t too crazy about the way it turned out. I thought it looked a little heavy…

Instead, I load a smidgen on the back of my hand, where I sheer it out using a synthetic tapered blending brush (you could use a brush with natural fibers for this, but I find that synthetic brush heads usually have stiffer bristles, which in this case handle the thick-ish formula better.)

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Unsung Makeup Heroes: Laura Mercier Secret Brightening Powder

August 19th, 2014 by Karen 10 Comments

By no means is Laura Mercier Secret Brightening Powder sexy or exciting.

It’s a loose face powder with a single talent, but it’s a talent I quite appreciate.

It sets under-eye concealer — and it’s not flashy, but it does its job well. If dark under-eye circles are a bane of your existence, as they are mine, Secret Brightening Powder is freaking fantastic.

I’m serious! — it belongs on the periodic table of elements. That’s how special I think it is. The light-as-air setting powder has white pigments in it that create a subtle brightening effect and help to cancel out dark shadows.

I’ve been using this stuff with concealer on my dark circles off and on for years, and it never looks caked-on or riddled with creases. It keeps my concealer from scooting around and also increases wear time. Perfect for when you’re hardly getting any sleep, and/or you’ve been recently bitten by a zombie, and you’re this close to turning.

Because, clearly…when one is losing their last vestiges of humanity, dark under-eye circles are still a concern. #priorities 🙂

Anywho! I’ve had this one jar for, like, seven years. Yeah…it lasts a long time. It only takes a tiny amount to set your concealer.

The long-running Unsung Heroes series features some of my favorite permanent collection products from a variety of bodacious beauty brands.

To apply, I load a small amount (you don’t want to apply too much; otherwise, it looks obvious) on a fluffy eyeshadow brush like the MAC 217, and layer that directly on top of my under-eye concealer using a patting motion, rather than a swiping motion.

(You don’t want to swipe, lest you can accidentally swipe away your concealer and end up looking MORE tired. No me gusta.)

Once applied, Secret Brightening locks down your concealer, where it should behave for the rest of the day.

It comes in two shades, too. The first, #1, is for fair and medium skin tones, while #2 is for medium, tan and darker skin tones. A 0.14-ounce jar will set you back $24, and you can find it now at Laura Mercier counters and online.

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Laura Mercier Smooth Finish Flawless Fluide Foundation Feels as Light as Kisses From a Baby Angel Kitten

August 11th, 2014 by Karen 45 Comments

New Laura Mercier Smooth Finish Flawless Fluide Foundation in Chai ($48)

There are some things I am physically incapable of resisting, like…

A cute pair of cat lady socks.

Impossible. 🙂

And…

Re-watching The Hills, particularly when my Tivo takes it upon itself to record a 35-episode marathon in one fell swoop (“I’m only gonna watch one more today, I swear!”)

And…

A new foundation! — and my resolve is even weaker when said foundation promises to deliver on the three foundation criteria I value the most, aka TBT, “The Big Three” — great coverage, a natural finish and a lightweight texture.

After using Laura Mercier’s new Smooth Finish Flawless Fluide foundation ($48) for about two weeks, I think it’s time to share my results.

So, does it deliver the goods on TBT? In other words, is it all that and a bag of Backyard Barbeque Kettle Chips?

Let’s find out…

First, exactly what is it?

A recent addition to Laura’s permanent line, Smooth Finish Flawless Fluide is a new oil-free liquid foundation available in 24 shades.

After I read the back of the box when I spotted it at Sephora a couple weeks ago…

“This long wear, oil free makeup magically blurs imperfections for a smooth, seamless complexion. Lightweight and color true, it offers buildable coverage with a natural matte finish, perfect for all ages, all skin-tones, all skin-types.”

–from the box

…it took all of about 4.75 seconds for me to find Chai, which looked to be my shade, grab it, and make a beeline for the register.

A little dab’ll do ya

Laura Mercier Smooth Finish Flawless Fluide Foundation — Beside a MAC Lipstick for scale

I did pause briefly when I saw the price… $48 for a 1-oz. bottle does seem like a lot, but thankfully I soon realized that I wouldn’t need to use a lot. Literally, like, 4-5 drops is enough for full coverage, so that makes the price a little less cray.

Laura Mercier Smooth Finish Flawless Fluide Foundation tip — The tip always looks like this, even when I close the cap tightly

The whole tip situation is a tad irksome… Due to the packaging, some of the product is definitely being wasted. Even when I screw the cap on tightly, the bottle doesn’t seem to close all the way, or in a secure way, and some of the product leaks out on the tip inside the cap.

Like that stranger on the bus who always stares at you and sits a little too close (seriously, take a picture, dude, it lasts longer), this is super annoying.

A featherweight formula

I think the formula is going to make or break this for a lot of gals/guys. It’s thin — almost watery — like MAC Face & Body and Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua, and it’s probably something you’re either going to love…or not.

I happen to be a fan of watery foundation formulas that feel lightweight on my skin because I feel like they let my pores come up for air.

Well, Smooth Finish Flawless Fluide is beyond lightweight. It’s well into featherweight territory, and when I wear it I feel like I’m barely wearing anything at all.

I’d even go so far as to say that it feels even lighter than my beloved MAC Face & Body.

Bust out yo’ Beauty Blender

Laura Mercier Smooth Finish Flawless Fluide Foundation before (left) and after (right) — Oh, Chai! It’s my bare face, dry lips and cray hair, LOL! I’m wearing the shade called Chai…

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Now Testing Laura Mercier Smooth Finish Flawless Fluide Foundation: Will It Blur the Line Between Real Skin and Makeup?

July 30th, 2014 by Karen 25 Comments

I’m busting’ out the air quotes for this one.

“Natural-looking finish.”

“Liquid-light formula.”

“Blurs the line between real skin and makeup.”

Seriously, there was no conceivable way I was going to be able to walk away from this display in Sephora yesterday for the new Laura Mercier Smooth Finish Flawless Fluide foundation ($48 for a 1-oz. tube) without taking one of them with me.

I mean, I tried. I told myself, “Step away, Karen. Just slowly step back, and then turn to the left and walk.”

But it didn’t happen. I guess it wasn’t in the cards.

I don’t know if I’ve mentioned this (of course I have), but I’ve been a little obsessed lately with finding a new foundation. I want one that gets me as close as possible to flawless, natural-looking coverage that doesn’t look heavy on my skin…or like I dunked my face into a wedding cake.

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