The Laura Mercier makeup line tends to fly under my radar a lot. I reach for Laura’s Tinted Moisturizer and Foundation (love ’em both) on a regular basis, but I don’t think her color collections get the attention they deserve — certainly not as much as those from MAC or Chanel.
It’s a shame, too, because I really like how the brand handles color. It’s always fresh, natural and pretty, and the company doesn’t shy away from bolder hues.
Every season Laura gives me something to look forward to, whether it be a new Shimmer Bloc or an innovative new eyeshadow.
For Spring 2009 LM has done it again. I’m looking forward to it all! — First Blush, Gilded Garden, Satinee Creme Eye Colors and the new Mineral Illuminating Powders.
Today I took a quick look at a few things from the Gilded Garden, Satinee Creme Eye Colors and Mineral Illuminating Powder collections and wanted to share some first impressions (more extensive reviews to follow).
Something tells me the limited edition Shimmer Bloc in Gilded Garden ($38) — an oil-free powder highlighter for cheeks, eyes and body — will steal quite a few hearts with its embossed floral pattern and peachy pink shimmer (I’m a sucker for botanical themes).
And I have a feeling the new Satinee Creme Eye Colours ($22 each), cream eyeshadows with a pearly finish, have the makings of great vacay eyeshadows because, according to LM, they resist water, last a long time and won’t crease. They can be worn alone or as a base for powder shadows.
Because my skin’s been looking a little dull lately, I can’t wait to try Mineral Illuminating Powder in Starlight ($32). It’s a shimmery golden nude loose powder that Laura says creates a radiant soft focus-like effect on the skin. Since her loose powders never let me down, I’m keeping my fingers crossed.
Swatches from left to right: Mineral Illuminating Powder in Starlight, Satinee Creme Eye Color in Cocoa Velour, Satinee Creme Eye Color in Ecru Silk, Satinee Creme Eye Color in Pink Chiffon, Satinee Creme Eye Color in Rum Satin, Shimmer Bloc in Gilded Garden
Pretty, yah?
Aw, hail!
Dang! It’s pouring down rain right now. I think I just saw Noah’s Ark float by my window. We’ve even gotten some lightening and hail. Tabs ventured outside a few times but got scared back indoors by the noise. He spent most of the day hiding behind the couch, and now I’m pretty sure he thinks the sky is falling, poor thing!
Despite the deluge, I love how it makes the colors of everything seem richer and deeper. During a break in the storm I ran outside and took a picture of this cool tree blooming with yellow blossoms. If I could eat that yellow I totally would.
Wherever you are, I hope you’re staying warm and dry. 🙂
Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,
Karen
Hi Karen,
The rain seems to have stopped for a few here in the East Bay. Whew! These looks really nice, especially the Satinee Creme Eye Colors! I love that kind of creamy shadow that stays put. The nail polish looks like a light shimmery pink, is that what it is? I like the look of the gloss too!
I agree I tend to overlook her stuff, I don’t know why! I love the illuminating moisturizer I have of hers.
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boy these makeup companies are sure working the highlighters with pretty designs to kill us, now i DON’T know what to get. love that cocoa velour though, i’m such a sucker for rich beautiful browns. i love cats, i used to have a cat named vasco. yours is adorable.
That palette looks GORGEOUS!
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Ooh I love the rum satin & that palette is gorg!
It is very warm here in the valley, a little too warm. I wouldn’t mind some of your rain to visit us here, it’d give me an excuse to buy some cute Ed Hardy rain boots 🙂
Hi Vampy Varnish,
Did that crazy thunderstorm make it out your way?
I haven’t seen the polish in person. I have *one* LM polish from last year’s Gold Digger collection and I love it.
Oh, glad to hear you like the illuminating moisturizer! 🙂 I am running low on my tinted moisturizer and may pick that up too when I go to the store to replenish my stash.
Happy Tuesday!
Hi Victoria,
I know, right? All the beautiful floral designs make it really easy to fall in love.
Is Vasco still around? What did he/she look like?
Tabs sends you kitty hugs!
Hi Marisol,
I know! I have a feeling it’s going to give a really nice glow — similar to the MAC Beauty Powders. 🙂
Happy Tuesday! I hope you stayed dry today.
Hi Michelle,
I will gladly trade you some rain for a nice long patch of warm sun. 🙂
How’s your tummy feeling today? Better?
HA!!! You finally got rain. Mwahahahahahahahaha. It’s either been raining or snowing (ich) here in ye ol’ Midwest. The one thing that hasn’t changed however is the temperature–cold, cold, cold, cold, cold. It was twelve degrees yesterday!!!
There are no less than seven flood warnings for my state. Thankfully, I live in the San Francisco hills area of my suburb in IL so no flooding for me! Plus, I’m far away from the watershed areas. No floods for me! No floods for me! No floods for meeeee! : does the no-flood-for-me happy dance:
We’re supposed to get a heat wave tomorrow to raise the temp from the puny 25 it is to 40! Yay! Heat wave!!! I’m sick of the cold! I would like it better if it were 70 degrees though.
Poor Tabs! That’s okay, Zena has parked her butt inside for the past week! She’ll only go out for potty and that’s it!
Hi Kate,
I know! It was delayed this year. Usually we get a few big storms (especially up where I live in Marin), and they’ve been MIA so far. I know we need the rain… but sure do miss the sun.
Holy crap, 12 degrees is cold. I can’t imagine having to deal with that kind of chill-in-yer-bones cold and the possibility of impending floods. Yup, we Californians are weather wimps.
LOL, heat wave of 40 degrees. I guess it’s better than nothing, right?
Does Zena go nuts when she can’t go outside? I swear Tabs gets mad because he thinks I have control over the rain. When he can’t have sunshine and butterflies outside he blames me for his misery.
lol Karen! You put a smile on my face every day! I found out about your website just a month ago – there was a link on bellasugar.com…They ought to feature you more!
Hi CC,
It’s nice to meet you! I love Bellasugar, too. I totally stalk that site every day!
Hope you’re having a nice Wednesday so far. 🙂
Whow, what a lovely collection. The First Blush Face Palette looks wonerfull. I just ckecked Nordstrom and it already sold out!
Happy wednesday everybody!!
Hi Wendy,
You can still purchase the First Blush palette on the Blue Mercury website. 🙂
Hi Karen,
I’ve been looking at Laura Mercier’s loose powders and been wanting to get one. Which do you recommend and what shade are you? 🙂
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This is a lovely collection. That Shimmer Block is gorgeous!
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Hi Gio,
It’s so pretty… it pained me to ruin the pattern and dig into it, but what are you gonna do? 🙂
Oooh that highlighter is gorgeous!!
Is Laura Mercier’s foundation better than Shu Uemura’s? I don’t know what to get! It’s so hard to find a nice foundation! I get breakouts easily so I’m scared to use em!
Hi Bea,
I tried one Shu Uemura foundation once and it was just okay. I really like Laura’s because it doesn’t break me out and it covers *everything*. I use the Tinted Moisturizer every day and the foundation for special occasions or for pictures. 🙂
If you do want to try them I suggest purchasing the products form Nordstrom. They have a great return policy, so if the products end up breaking you out you can return them.
Nuts? More like psycho. She’ll herd us to the door, put her black nose out the door, snort and back away from door with the look that says, “You want me to go out in the rain? Are you mad? What do I look like, a Poodle?” Lather, rinse and repeat until she ABSOLUTELY has to go potty. She goes a bit stir-crazy, I think.
I’m a pretty big weather wimp. I’m an even bigger Earthquake wimp though. I would go insane in California. The mere thought of the earth blow me shaking and/or splitting scares the crap out of me. I have the same problem with hurricanes. Do I go upstairs to avoid the floods or down to avoid whipping winds?
12 degrees isn’t so bad compared to the -30 my area had in December with an ice storm! Believe me, Zena and I refused to stick our noses outside!
Hi Kate,
When you live here you eventually just stop thinking about the possibility of an earthquake. The last big one was the one in 1989… out of all of the ones I’ve been through that was the scariest. But I can’t remember all of the little ones in between, truth be told.
HA! The rain makes Tabs so crazy, too! I just don’t get it…
Have fun in the “sun” today!
oooh please let us know what you think about the illuminating powder! I’m a HUGE fan of LM and always am interested in reviews of her products. They’re kind of pricy so before I go for it, I love reading what people think!
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Hi Tanya,
Yes ma’am! What LM products do you like? I love her Oil-Free Tinted Moisturizer and Foundation (the *best* for pictures), loose powder, Secret Brightening Powders and Lip Glaces.
hmm i like this collection seems very work friendly
i never played with laura mercier i will have to give her a test drive!
grey days are actually the best days to shoot you really get true color for photos
we do all our photography on neutral grey back drops for that reason here at work !
you tree is sooooo mimosa! It makes me happy but probably induces allergies
Hi YadiQ,
Oh, yah, that’s so true. I noticed that when it’s overcast outside the color is much more true. Stuff looks *really great* when it’s wet, too. Everything is just so richer and more clearer. Too bad I can’t hang with the rain, ha ha ha!
Laura Mercier isn’t as edgy as other brands, but I like it a lot! She has lots of good face stuff, color stuff and brushes. 🙂
Believe it or not that tree isn’t too bad. I have really terrible allergies and it surprisingly doesn’t aggravate them.
I’m excited about the Satinee eye colors! I love LM’s metallic creme shadows, I just don’t always want metallic finishes, so these look perfect!
And yeah, the rain is getting old, but wow, in those five-minute intervals of sunny blue-sky glory, everything looks amazing!
Hi Glosslizard,
They’re more pearly than metallic… the finish is awesome. I think you’ll like them. 🙂
We just had one of those amazing five minute injections of sunshine here in the North Bay!
Today’s weather seems a bit calmer than those thunderstorms Tuesday – thankfully. My younger cat Loki was nervous too.
Did you check out the Lipstains in new LM collection? I have heard English Rose is pretty but no pics yet.
Yes, thank you! And I celebrated by ordering a Philly Cheese Steak sandwich for lunch :)A risky move but it was oh so good. I’ve been hungry for four days! LOL
Hope you’re having a good Wednesday.
Are you crazy? It’s too cold to go outside! Zena is enjoying the sunshine though!
I went to Saks for their Laura event and ended up getting the the gilden garden shimmer bloc and the orchid and lilac eye shadows. I usually stay away from purples because they turn ashy on my dark skin, but amazingly the whole color combination looks great on my dark skin- very springy and fresh looking!
I’m in love with the color palette with the tiny flowers. Those are awesome and I’m so getting into seasonal fashion and makeup looks.
Love your cat! And I also love Laura M. Can’t wait to try the new mineral shimmer loose powders, and also the cream eye shadows.
Hi Suzann,
Awww, Tabs sends you kitty lurvin’ back. 🙂
I can’t live without LM’s Tinted Moisturizer and Oil-Free Foundation. What are your favorites from her line?