Friday, June 7, 2013

Hint of Tint

For the longest time, I've heard raves about Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturiser. I wasn't entirely convinced how good it could possibly be, mainly because the idea of a tinted moisturiser never particularly appealed to me. After all, wasn't it the same thing as mixing in a bit of my foundation with my regular moisturiser? Still, when I saw a smaller 30ml tube of Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturiser at Sephora during my trip to the States for around $20, I couldn't resist picking one up and seeing if it was worth the hype. While there's 3 versions of the tinted moisturiser: regular, oil-free (in the brown packaging) and illuminating, I only saw the smaller size in the regular form. There were also only two available shades, Nude and the darker Sand. I grabbed Nude after trying a bit on my face first and being satisfied it wasn't too light for me. I managed to resist opening my tube for months, hoping to use up some other of my other base products first, but caved recently.




Though I've only used it for a short period of time, I'm unexpectedly impressed by the Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturiser. Maybe it's finally made me see the light when it comes to tinted moisturisers. The first thing I noticed is the effortless way it applies to the skin. You really don't need to expend much energy blending or rubbing it in. It almost does the job for you. There's no feeling of product sitting on top of your skin or any kind of oiliness, chalkiness or residue that foundation or certain BB creams can leave. It really is akin more to a normal moisturiser that hydrates and sinks into your skin, but with a creamy texture rather than being more of a lotion or relatively liquid. The colour is undetectable, in that when you're applying it, there's not a huge, noticeable difference in skin tone between the areas of your face where you've put some on and the rest of your face. It's a very subtle, light coverage, weightless product that brightens and evens out the skin tone and provides a natural radiance. I've called other bases "natural-looking" in the past, but I can truly say that I only discovered what that means after using this.


The before picture on the left is my bare face without a scrap of makeup. Beside it is my face with just the tinted moisturiser on. Both pictures are 100% unedited. I'm talking extract from the SD card and cropped only. Not even a minor brightness or contrast or colour adjustment. To my eyes, I can see that the tinted moisturiser has minimised the appearance of pores and blackheads, reduced redness and areas of discolouration, and generally injected some health and luminosity to my complexion. The end result is still incredibly subtle but undeniably effective.


Nude seems like the right shade for me, as I don't find it too dark or light, but the product itself is so natural-looking and light coverage that even if the shade was slightly off, I don't think it would be all that noticeable. The moisturiser admittedly has a faint chemical smell which is slightly off-putting, but nothing major. I do have to put quite a bit on each time (the amount pictured on my hand was barely enough for my whole face), which again reinforces how much closer it is to a regular moisturiser than a foundation or Asian BB cream. I can easily picture myself finishing the whole tube fairly quickly. I am curious about the oil-free version, which might be better suited to my skin come summer. I haven't noticed any issues with oil control in the few times I've used it, though my skin is in a drier state at the moment than it normally is. Once my tube is emptied, I probably would repurchase, though the Garnier BB Cream Miracle Skin Perfector (Combination to Oily Skin) still remains a solid option for higher coverage and a glowier finish.

59 comments:

  1. This looks nice, and makes your skin look more enhanced! :)

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  2. Sounds like an amazing product and the before and after pictures say it all. Thanks for the review Lena, now I'd love to try this, adding to wishlist!!! : ) xx

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  3. WTF?! 20 bucks is a total steal! It looks great on you!

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  4. YAY I spotted this in your US haul- glad you finally posted about it! Have you been applying it with your fingers or the buffing brush? I'm not sure I can relate to encountering an ultra-natural creamy texture like that- the only thing I can think of that remotely resembles the description is the Skin79 BB cream which I've been using for the past two weeks straight, buffed in with the RT brush. The LM makes such a difference to your skin!
    With all the hype it gets it's great to see that it proves its worth. I've never really 'gotten' the tinted moisturiser craze- I'll have to try it to see how different the feel is to a BB cream. And how fortunate that the 30mL came in your shade! Now, if only we could see those US prices brought over here...

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    1. Fingers! I haven't even thought about using a brush for this and I doubt I will. I just don't see the need. I've wanted to try Skin79 BB cream but haven't gotten around to it - perhaps when I empty some existing base products I have open first. There are very few products that I think really deserve their hype, in the sense of exceeding expectations and producing a result that you haven't been able to replicate with other comparable products you've tried, and this LM Tinted Moisturiser is one of them. Highly recommended! :) And yeah, I think the 30ml tube I bought works out to be more economical than the full size 40ml - another reason why I love Sephora.

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  5. you have such blemish free skin :)
    the price is definitely a steal for a mid-high end product (esp for 30ml) but combo skin garnier bb all the way! x

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  6. This looks lovely :) It looks so nice on you too! xx
    http://xtouchofbeautyx.blogspot.co.uk/

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  7. I love Laura Mercier tinted moisturizer, I have the oil free one and I use it all year round. c:

    xo, Janiecy
    http://janiecyxo.blogspot.ca/

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  8. I love tinted moisturizer and BB cream. When I have a good-skin day, I would just slap on a bit of either and head out. Especially in the summer, I don't usually bother with putting on foundation. Laura Mercier has one of the best tinted moisturizers I have tried. The one I use is the oil-free version.

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  9. When I bought this, the girls at the counter kept telling me to only use a pea size amount, and that's always been enough for me. I'm surprised you need more! This is one of my all-time favorite products. I tried the radiance one once but it's a bit too sparkly for me, I much prefer the regular.

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    1. Really? LOL. A pea size amount would probably cover one of my cheeks :p Oh dear.

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  10. ooh wow, you can really see a difference! This is definitely going on my wishlist! x

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  11. 20 in the states?! Waa... I wonder how much it RRP is here,... I'm hoping to try Garnier's Oily/combo BB that you've mention at the end of the post though.... Coverage and dewy?! I'm in!

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    1. Yes it was a fantastic price! Even cheaper per millilitre than the full size. The full size is $59 here - pricey but still cheaper than what it used to be before Laura Mercier reduced their prices. The Garnier is a great option, I would still use it on rotation with this Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturiser for lighter makeup days.

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  12. TM's are typically my go-to especially since I suck at foundation matching for myself and I would rather not deal with the hassle. I just bought the Physician's Formula Organic Wear yesterday for me to try.

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  13. This looks interesting! What is your shade in MAC? I've been eyeing this TM for years! I've been seeing this small tube at sephora stores and never bothered to even try it, I've heard it makes some people oily throughout the day.

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    1. I'm not sure as I haven't been colour matched or purchased any base products from there - I would guess NC25 though. Perhaps a tad lighter in winter. I haven't experienced any oiliness with it, but my skin is pretty dry right now!

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  14. Your skin has such a glow with the product
    cutenquirky.blogspot.com

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  15. ooh i didnt know they had this in a smaller tube :) i recently posted a review on my laura mercier moisturizer too days ago :D you have a nice blog

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  16. This actually looks pretty great! I too have never been overly convinced by the idea of tinted moisturiser but I can see what you mean with your before and after shots! Hmmm wishlist maybe :P
    xx

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  17. I (as a person with Sahara-dry skin), cannot wear foundation (too cakey looking). I hear so much about Laura Mercier skin products and am wondering if the various light bases the brand does would work with my skin.

    itsamadsmadsworld.blogspot.ca

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  18. I'm glad you like it! I've been using this for the past two years and I had the same thoughts as you. Why spend money on a "tinted" moisturizer when I can do it myself. I got curious and bought it and have been using it ever since!

    -Lisa
    The Lovely Memoir

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  19. I've tried a few Laura Mercier products and love them, but I haven't used a tinted moisturiser since I was like 13. I think I'd consider getting this one!

    Molly xx
    Lyonsnotes.blogspot.co.uk

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  20. I have recently received sample of this tinted moisturizer and I love it so far! it has a very subtle finish but you def notice the difference it makes even though it is very subtle. your skin looks much brighter on your picture, but still very natural..
    my concern is only that ,this version is a bit too oily for me in summer but I can picture it will be perfect in winter. As much as I want to buy the full size, it is very expensive here in Germany, €50 for 50ml. T.T

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    1. omg that is so expensive! Even pricier than in Australia which I didn't know was possible :p I'm glad that you've been enjoying the sample you received. I agree it is a very subtle product and my skin might have issues with it in terms of oiliness when the weather warms up here, but right now in winter it's quite dry so it's ideal for me :)

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  21. Lovw the natrual tint! Your skinis lovely! :)

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  22. Lovw the natrual tint! Your skinis lovely! :)

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  23. I have always been curious about this product too. I am afraid to make the plunge due to my oily skin. I have a sneaking suspicion that it won't last on me. I think if I saw the little mini of this I would pick it up to try too. I wish the oil free came in the mini version!

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  24. Hello,
    My name is Charlotte, I was blog walking when I come upon your blog :D. Yay~ I love the tinted moisturizer review because I am looking for a good tinted moisturize. I'm usually a bb cream user but it would be nice to switch once in a while. Nice to meet you and visit my blog sometime ;D
    -Charlotte

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  25. I have been wanting to try this Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturiser for ages too but I have so many base products to use up. When I finally do use them up, this will definitely be one of the top items that I will get. It looks amazing on you.

    Kah-Feh Yen

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  26. I want to try this product, but it's expensive here in Aus, right?! I think I'm going to give the Garnier BB cream a go if it's even better coverage then Laura Mercier!

    http://talisbury.blogspot.com/

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    1. The full size is $59! And yeah, the Garnier is better coverage - the Laura Mercier is quite light coverage but I think it's a higher quality product overall in terms of how it applies and feels on the skin. But the Garnier is still really nice and affordable :)

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  27. I was just looking at this at Sephora the other day. Those little bins by the checkout registers can really suck you in!

    http://jemaroons.blogspot.com

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    1. They really do! I swear if I lived in the States, 30% of my income would go to Sephora.

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  28. Thats lovely! And looks completely natural :O
    I may need this in my life!!

    International Giveaway | BreezeyBee Blog
    xoXo

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  29. I've been wanting to try this tinted moisturizer but all of the shades that come in the sample are a tad too dark, although I really enjoy the dr jart water fuse bb cream it amazes me how you only need so little for a full face.

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  30. i've been wanting to try this but i didn't want to buy a huge tube in case it doesn't get along with my skin ;c the 30ml size is so good, do you know if they sell this size elsewhere?
    it really seems to brighten up your entire complexion!

    à la foliee

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    1. I don't think so sadly :( Seems like a Sephora exclusive!

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  31. My lord, this does an incredible job.
    x

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  32. Wow! Awesome product! It made your face so radiant! It`s so expensive! Hihi. :D I can`t afford to buy it.

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  33. Looks nice but I'd like to try the Silk Creme Foundation more. Not fond of that sheer look, if it's like that I'd rather just put my regular moisturizer on. :)

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    1. I definitely want to try the Silk Creme too - but need to get through a couple of other base products first!

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  34. I love this stuff. Definitely one of my all time favorite facial products! :) ♥

    http://abeautyromancee.blogspot.co.uk/
    http://abeautyromancee.blogspot.co.uk/

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  35. This review couldn't have come at a better time. Almost finished my Chanel VA and looking for something light .. I think I'll need to research this one a bit more!

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    1. Oooh, Chanel VA is the #1 foundation on my to-get list!

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  36. You did so well lasting this long without opening it!
    It is something I've always wanted to try and it seems to have made such a good difference to your skin.

    xoxo

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  37. It looks so good! I've always wanted to grab one of these smaller size ones at Sephora, but I somehow always set it back down. Need to try it, really!

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  38. Great review! It makes your face look glowing!

    Anyway, I wanted to personally invite you to enter my Sephora & Zoya giveaway!

    http://mash-elle.blogspot.com/2013/05/zoya-ulta-100-follower-giveaway.html

    Xo, Michelle

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  39. I'm definitely picking this product up when I go to the states!

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  40. This looks great! It really evens out your skin subtly, perfect for the beach or for a no makeup day. Amazing price too, I can't wait to go shopping!! xx

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  41. I remember being really impressed by this when I first tried it. It's what got me on the Laura Mercier train for like 5 years. The oil-free version is definitely better for oily summer skin. To date, it might be the best tinted moisturizer I ever tried, with Josie Maran as an exception.

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    1. I don't have many products from the brand but everything I've tried has impressed me (the Mineral Powder, this Tinted Moisturiser and the Lingerie Eye & Cheek Palette, oh, and a single e/s in Twilight Grey). I super want to try the Josie Maran but the brand isn't available here :'( Weeping because I love the argan oil they do & my tiny 15ml bottle has almost run out!

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  42. looks really great! nice post, dear
    xoxo

    visit my blog please)
    http://yuliasi.blogspot.ru/
    love, Yulia

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  43. I absolutely love the illuminating version of this product, but it is super super glowy - but perfect for mixing with your other foundations!

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  44. I think your post is making me reconsider this highly praised product. I have yet to try it but the idea of it never really appealed to me before because I would rather get a medium to full coverage but light weight foundation. Also because I generally don't use any foundations except on special occasions. The before and after picture looks incredible! Even though it's light coverage, the subtle correction makes everything look very natural and it looks especially great for summer time (where I'm at)! :)

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